All of You
by Fearfxl
Summary: Grimmjow. The name alone has a number of responses. Most call to him, attempt to contain him, others let it leave their lips with admiration. Though never has he heard it called carefully, gently, as though a slip of the tongue would tarnish it. He aims to douse himself in fame, reveling in all its spoils, but will fame be enough for her? For them? [GrimmOC, Boxing AU.]
1. The First

"Make this quick, Grimmjow," Ichigo instructed as he readied the boxer in the locker room. A silent Grimmjow merely stared forward, focused, intent on defeating his opponent. "I don't want any foul-ups. We're to get in here, and get out. Got it?" He inquired, obscuring Grimmjow's field of vision by stepping in front of him. Grimmjow opened and closed his hands, testing the athletic wrap. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He slid off of the table, black shoes hitting the cool, olive-colored floor. Ichigo helped him don his gloves, black in color, to match the band around his white shorts.

His orange-haired trainer also helped him into his robe-sleek and black in color, with white lining and his name emblazoned across the back-careful to keep communication short. Very seldom did Grimmjow have to be told the same thing twice before he grew annoyed, but, as Ichigo was used to, it wasn't clear the boxer got the message, or was only focusing on the fact that someone was bossing him around. "Ready?" Ichigo chanced, all-too familiar with the almost hostile air Grimmjow was letting off. Grimmjow merely grunted in response as Ichigo, as well as the seconds, followed him out.

The crowd was sizable, but being the greedy man he was, he knew Grimmjow would complain of its size. _The guy's never satisfied..._Ichigo thought, his frown deepening as he trailed Grimmjow, who eased his way through excited fans, reaching out to pat the boxer's shoulders, to cheer him on, to psych him up. Grimmjow's cold, blue-eyed gaze-accentuated by the flecks of green under them-was fixed upon the ring, toward which his opponent had yet to make his way. He climbed up, pulling on the ropes of the ring, until he and his staff were on. Ichigo's brow furrowed with worry as he craned his neck, eyes jumping from person to person. Grimmjow was good, but was he good enough to come out clean?

"What's your problem?" Grimmjow asked bluntly, staring at his coach. It took a moment, but Ichigo, flustered, responded. "Nothing! Just take care of this guy." He instructed, returning Grimmjow's stern gaze. The other man merely scoffed, keeping to his corner.

Cheers began to intensify, signaling to the pair that Grimmjow's opponent had arrived. His robe was a fiery red, with gold lining to match the red and gold of his shorts and gloves. A hood obscured his face, but what Grimmjow could make out from where he was, coupled with the bright spotlight that had been on him, he wore an intensely focused visage. A smirk played across Grimmjow's lips, his eyes narrowing at the sight of his prey.

"You're getting cocky, Grimmjow," Ichigo began, frowning at Grimmjow's expression. As though chiding him for becoming excited enough to envision a simple victory. Of course, Grimmjow was none the wiser of Ichigo's words. Or he'd simply chosen to ignore them. Whichever the case, Ichigo no longer held the little control he did over Grimmjow's actions: a situation he'd hoped to avoid.

His opponent stepped into the ring, followed closely by his team. Near instantly, Ichigo could tell something was...off. Makoto Iori, no doubt the man's name, was emblazoned across his back, seen only as he turned a moment to mumble something inaudible to his coach, who nodded, as if something absolute had been decided between the two. Ichigo felt a chill race down his spine. Perhaps Grimmjow would be given a run for his money-and an upset Grimmjow wasn't the first thing the redhead wanted to deal with after a bout.

What happened next seemed to go in sequence. Short bursts, as though being looked at through the lens of a camera set on shutter. Ichigo's heart drummed fiercely against his chest. He sweat, beads running ceaselessly down to his jawline. Of course, he kept a non-blinking gaze locked on Grimmjow and Iori, as if he would miss something infinitely important should he so dare as blink.

Iori's glove connected to Grimmjow's jaw, sending the blue-haired man a half-step back. The recoil barely lasted a second before Grimmjow's icy stare was back onto his opponent. Iori was stone-faced, and though Grimmjow had landed a few blows of his own upon him, he refused to let his expression, one of pure focus, of pure concentration, falter. It was for this reason that Grimmjow hated the man even more. He hadn't the face of the a boxer, more like that of a chess player-a scrawny weakling that otherwise wouldn't have involved himself with the sport.

So why was he kicking his ass?

An infuriated Grimmjow charged forward, the moment he weaved through Iori's barrage of jabs. The only thing the cocky man would admit was that Iori was fast. Any more observations would feel like compliments. Regardless, he swung as fast and as hard as he could, craving to land a blow to Iori's face: he wanted nothing more than to violently disrupt, and utterly destroy the concentrated, stoic visage that faced him.

Iori stumbled, and the mistake was that Grimmjow had seen. With a widening, almost bloodthirsty grin, Grimmjow brawled him into a corner, punches flying one after another. Iori gritted his teeth, and, remembering his training, clenched his stomach to absorb lower blows the best he could.

Ichigo let free a cautious sigh of relief, but never lowered his guard. Anything could happen, and likely anything would, seeing as it was Grimmjow. But for now, he could breathe easy, knowing Grimmjow maintained the upper hand.

Iori pushed back soon after, and with great effort: it wasn't easy to move someone that was molded into pure, defiant muscle. The referee split them up, pushing Grimmjow back further as Iori retreated to a neutral corner. Barely giving the ref any time to check him, Grimmjow barrelled past him, and continued. Iori was ready, however, and withstood the last ten seconds of the match, when the bell rang, and they were called back to their respective corners.

Grimmjow reluctantly sat down, and though he was not tired, his chest heaved, up and down, with adrenaline. A steely gaze was locked on the other man, Ichigo's words drowned out by Grimmjow's persistent, angry thoughts.

"What you're doing wrong is you're letting him get to you," Ichigo scolded, also looking at Iori, whose coach was silently returning their gaze. "Shut the fuck up," Grimmjow snapped, mouth opening as a subordinate in his corner used a nozzle-topped bottle to squeeze water into the boxer's mouth. He turned to the side, rinsed, and spat-almost onto the floor of the ring, had another subordinate not been there with a bucket. "I know what I'm doing."  
Ichigo thought to interject, to suggest some sort of solution to Grimmjow's being rash, but before he could get a word in edgewise, the bell rang. Ichigo let him go once more, back into the waiting fists of his opponent.

Grimmjow's home was anything but clean, that was certain. Dishes, some with dried food clinging to them, lay piled upon each other in the kitchen sink, and occasionally, a fly hovered overhead, unable to find his way out. He caught a glimpse of himself in a dirtied mirror hanging on the wall, his face contorting with annoyance at the fresh cut on the right side of his upper lip. He had won the bout, but by the skin of his teeth. Sure, Ichigo took a win as a win, but what bothered, grated at Grimmjow the most was how close it had been. If it wasn't for Iori's slip-up, he would've gone home with a loss, and thus, less money.

Lazily stepping toward the fridge, he opened it to almost routinely grab another beer. Though the boxer could afford food, drinks were the only thing that made it back to his home.

The moment he sat down on a repulsive, olive-colored couch, a knock sounded. He grunted, pretending not to hear it, and turned on the TV.

"Grimmjow! Hey, open up!" Ichigo called, returning his hand to his pocket. He'd spent a lot of time with Grimmjow, and learned that patience was the best way of getting to someone like him. Granted, the two butted heads near daily, but they were a match, more or less. Any other person, in Ichigo's opinion, would have given up early, dismissing Grimmjow as a lost cause, an arrogant moron that was a waste of time, in every sense of the word. To put things simply, Ichigo preferred to work with someone who was at least some degree of difficult.

_But for now, _Ichigo thought, eyebrow twitching with impatience. _I don't really have the time for it. _He gripped the doorknob and turned it, not at all surprised that Grimmjow hadn't locked the door. In fact, he'd been too lazy to close it all the way!

"Go home," Grimmjow ordered, eyes locked on the TV.

"Why should I? What, I can't stop in for five minutes?"

"No; it's my house, Kurosaki." He paused to muffle a low burp into the bend of his arm. Ichigo made a face, but decided he had put up with Grimmjow long enough to get a beer himself. Not like he'd complain. Ichigo meandered toward a recliner, letting a few seconds' silence settle before he spoke.

"I think I'm going to increase your training load. We need you ready for anything, Grimmjow. God knows you don't listen to a word I say otherwise," Ichigo started, catching a classic look of defiance from the other man. Thankfully, however, it wasn't followed by a sarcastic remark. "I've called in a friend, she should be able to help you out with whatever you need. Give me your phone." Ichigo held his palm out, waiting. "What for?" He inquired, bottle held to his lips.

"I can't always be on call! If I didn't think she couldn't handle you, I wouldn't have asked. Now, come on." He moved his fingers, suggesting Grimmjow hurry up. He groaned, and dug into his pocket, tossing the phone to his coach. Ichigo had just barely caught it, but made sure he did. The last thing he wanted to deal with was breaking anything of Grimmjow's.

"Tomorrow morning at 7:00, come down. **I know it's early**," Ichigo held a hand up, right as Grimmjow opened his mouth to complain. "but those hours you spend sleeping off a drunken stupor, you could use for training."

"Go home," Grimmjow growled, catching his phone as Ichigo tossed it back to him. "Yeah, yeah. Get all that rebellion out of you." Ichigo teased, chuckling to himself as he closed the front door on his way out, Grimmjow's curses unheard.

Settling back down into the couch, Grimmjow exhaled. Ichigo was the only coach he'd had that he could stand. Or rather, that could stand him. The others looked down upon him, or cowered too much to train him. Of course, Ichigo got on his nerves on occasion. But as long as they continued to fight like they did, Grimmjow was happy.

He shuddered, disgusted that he allowed himself to think such things. He was, for lack of a better word, happy about it. And now, with an empty bottle of beer, he turned off the TV and got ready for bed. But not before checking this new entry.

_Bao._


	2. Best Behavior

"...And that's another thing," Ichigo continued, clearly having been on a rant about Grimmjow's attitude, in an attempt to warn his friend. "It's like he hates the thought of being someone anyone has anything good to say about. Like he likes the hate."

Bao merely chuckled as they entered the gym. She assumed Grimmjow had already arrived, because not only were the two of them a bit later than they'd hoped, but she could hear faint music coming from one of the farther rooms. "Well, that's your type, isn't it? Seething with the need to piss people off, for next to no reason." She joked, earning a playful push from Ichigo. He knew that she was resilient, able to fend for herself, a flexible type of person. This, however, didn't mean she didn't get aggravated from time to time, when confronted with a problematic person. He couldn't shake feeling the need to _warn_ her about Grimmjow, in case he were to jump to disrespecting her.

_God, he's like a fucking child, _Ichigo thought, with an inward grimace. "Is this him?" Bao asked quietly, peeking into the doorway of a padded room, large window at its front, to see a single, blue-haired man with a towel in hand. He breathed heavily, wiping the sweat from his face, before tossing the towel on the nearest railing. Ichigo exhaled, deeply. "Yeah. That's him. Come on, might as well get started."

Grimmjow, so far, had done well. Three hours straight, and he'd exceeded all of Ichigo's expectations. "But don't think I'm doing that shit for you, Kurosaki," He'd warned. "When it comes to giving me a challenge, you're a joke."

And now, he had been jumping rope for fifteen minutes, his lungs and throat burning with every breath he refused to take through his nose. He watched Ichigo, and some chick-"Bao", apparently-discuss his progress behind a clipboard she held. He stared at her with that same arrogant, kingly look. Eyes half-lidded, he turned his nose up at her. Why did Ichigo think he needed a babysitter? She couldn't handle him. In fact, no woman could. All they did was whimper and cry and nag and cry more. _Women..._Grimmjow thought, snarling. He gave her a day or two, at most. After that, she'd be crying, begging Ichigo to go home, telling him "how much of a handful Grimmjow's being", and how mean he was.

She was somewhat fit, from what he could see. She wore a white t-shirt that hugged her chest well, and a simple, though thin, black zip-up. His eyes trailed further down, following her slim form to see yoga leggings, "PINK" written out across the waist behind her, and white running shoes. Every now and then, the two would look back to him for reference, as he continued jumping, and his and Bao's eyes would meet. He wouldn't look away like he was scared of her, like he didn't want her to think he'd been staring at her. Screw that. He wanted her to know that she was in his sights, she was prey, and he'd sooner die than have her think she intimidated him in the least.

There was _slight_ discomfort-or perhaps confusion-on her face, but he'd take it. As long as he made her uncomfortable with his mere presence, he was happy. He'd play off that until she confronted him. _If_ she confronted him.

He'd caught a glimpse of her face. Not a bump or blemish on her light-brown skin to speak of. Full lips. Grey eyes. A single mole under her left eye. Extremely curly, honey-blonde hair that reached to just about her mid-back.

Admittedly? He'd fuck her. But that's not something he'd tell her, or even Ichigo, since the guy had a habit of accidentally running his mouth.

"Alright, give it a rest, Grimmjow," Ichigo raised a hand, and the boxer stopped. Bao turned to face him as Ichigo stepped closer, silent. He looked to her as well, and his frown only deepened when she raised her eyebrows, just slightly, and wrote away on her clipboard. "Grimmjow." Ichigo called, sternly, finally getting his attention.

"You don't have another bout for a little while. There's no reason that any of that time shouldn't be spent right here. You need to be at your best, ready for anything..." As he spoke, Bao outfitted herself with a pair of boxing pads. "And that's why Bao's gonna help me."

"Ch'. Can't do it yourself?" Grimmjow prodded, turning to retrieve his gloves. "You know damn well I can, Grimmjow," Ichigo retorted. "I just think a change of pace is necessary." He stepped over to help Grimmjow with his gloves, and let him face Bao, who looked to him calmly.

Now that he was closer, he could see that both of her ears were pierced. Large pearls sat in her lobes, while smaller studs were placed above them.

"Go." Ichigo instructed, arms crossed as he looked on.

Ichigo shook her hand once more. "Thanks for coming out again, Bao," He said, grateful. She returned his smile with one of her own, something that made Grimmjow's skin crawl. She hadn't said one thing to him, other than giving him basic tips to maintaining the appropriate posture and other little things he tended to overlook as unimportant. "No problem," She started. "I didn't think it'd be this much fun, getting out of the house and all. But I'm glad I took you up on this."

Watching the two of them talk as though they were old friends, Grimmjow felt his stomach turn. She was so _nice_, so _polite_ it made him sick. He wanted to see her angry. The most he'd seen is her being stern, telling him to relax his shoulders, not to reach when punching-as the strength is most used with a slight shortness of the arm-and to practice body rotation. Of course, he'd told her to shut the fuck up. Repeatedly. But Ichigo always shot him a look, and spoke for her.

"I'm having a few friends over tonight, if you want to come. I mean, it wasn't really my idea, more like Keigo's. But if you're up to it, and all." Ichigo had rolled his eyes at the thought of Keigo inviting himself to his house, but since Ichigo lived alone, that must have sent him a message.

Bao grinned, broadly. "Yeah. I've got some spare shit I need to get done, but depending on the time, I could stop by."

Grimmjow quickened his pace, packing up his things and getting dressed. It was 4:37, and although it wasn't anywhere near dark yet, he was ready to go home. Ready to get away from these two. He slung his gym bag over his shoulder, and knelt to lace up his shoes. Unfortunately, that meant staying and listening to them.

"How're Isshin and them?" She asked, pulling her brightly-colored locks into a large ponytail. Ichigo may have said something, but Grimmjow did his best to tune it out. He glared at his shoes, lacing them tightly. _Even her goddamned voice. _She laughed. Whatever he said was probably some corny bullshit, joking about his father, and his younger sisters. Grimmjow had never met any of them, merely heard complaints from a tired Ichigo the days after, about how they'd kept him up. He had no intention of meeting them. Ever.

He rose, and hurriedly made his way to the door. Ichigo cut himself off, side-stepping to block the blue-haired man. "Woah, hold on, we're not done here, Grimmjow."

"Move." Grimmjow commanded. Ichigo knew he wouldn't be able to keep him much longer if he was set on leaving, so he said what he wanted to immediately. "Look, we're not going to do this for a day and then fall off the wagon. I expect you here tomorrow. Same time, and ready to work. Bao's coming too."

Grimmjow smirked. "You must be confused, Kurosaki. You keep mentioning her, as if I give a damn where she is." He pushed his way through, pulling the hood of his sleeveless hoodie up as he made for the front exit. Ichigo exhaled, watching him, as though a fed-up parent. "He's not usually this...difficult. Sure, he doesn't listen, but he's being a pain in my ass right now," He explained, hoping that Grimmjow's behavior wasn't something that would deter her. Bao merely shrugged, also watching as Grimmjow defiantly left. "Well, he's an entirely different type, Ichigo. That, or he doesn't like me."

"No, if he didn't like you, he'd tell you. We had someone in here a while ago, to help me out with him, Grimmjow broke his nose. It took the whole team to get him off the guy. I'm trying to remember what he said..." Ichigo paused to think.

Bao tried her best to be understanding. Although Ichigo was only Grimmjow's coach, she thought of course, the two had to be friends on _some_ level. Perhaps Ichigo was Grimmjow's only friend, and having someone else introduced so soon was strange to him.

"I don't remember. Maybe you can ask him, once he calms down. Just, again, I'm sorry he's acting like a damn teenager." Ichigo apologized, raking a hand through bright, orange hair. "It's okay! Don't worry, he'll come around...eventually." Bao assured him. The two exchanged smiles, and prepared to lock up.


	3. Unusual

Grimmjow's phone buzzed, loudly sounding against the glass table in the living room, in front of the couch, where he had again passed out. He groaned, sitting up. The TV was still on, blaring, the show he was watching long off. He wiped the drool from his mouth, and held the phone to his eyes. It told him Bao was calling, causing him to narrow his eyes at it. What the hell did she want? There was no picture for her, merely a generic, fuzzy background. He slid his thumb across the screen, holding the phone to his ear and leaning back, letting his eyes close. He'd fallen asleep with all the lights on, making waking up even worse.

"What?" He barked into the receiver. "Grimmjow? Hey, it's Bao. But, I guess you already knew that. Anyway, could you let me in? I've been knocking and ringing the door bell, but I think it's broken, and you wouldn't wake up, or anything, I'm sorry." She said, sheepishly. Grimmjow set his jaw and looked to the door.

He hung up, tossing his phone to a vacant cushion, and waited a moment, as though shaking off the last bit of sleep before standing, and heading to the door.

Bao jumped, slightly, as he opened the door with nothing save for utter impatience, deep on his face. "You forgot your gloves, first of all," She started, Grimmjow's eyes momentarily leaving hers to see his gloves, tied, and hanging off her shoulder. "And second, Ichigo thinks it'd be a good idea to come over. He thinks you'll have fun." She added, optimistic. Ichigo had told her plenty about him, and she figured since there was an option to drink, he'd come. He didn't say anything. Bao fidgeted and continued. "Here, I'll just put these down in there, and hopefully you'll come to Ichigo's soon." She made her way to enter, but Grimmjow stayed firmly rooted in front of her, and refused to move. She backed up, wordless. He too, was silent as he held his palm toward her. She pulled her lips in, giving him his gloves, which he tossed out of her sight, further into the house.

He continued to look at her, examining her. Bao couldn't get him to so much as speak to her, so she returned his silence, until he stepped back, appearing to let her in, but instead closing the door.

"He's really not too fond of me, Ichigo," Bao explained, clearly distressed. She'd been around people who disliked her, but they were "mature" enough to be civil to her face. He was different indeed, and she now questioned, only when she was away from Grimmjow, whether helping Ichigo was the best idea, or even managing Grimmjow. "He didn't say a word. Not one." She'd come back to Ichigo's home, his friends gathered in the living room, and he'd excused himself to speak privately with her.

"Calm down, just breathe," Ichigo advised, giving her a knowing smile. "I guarantee he doesn't hate you. It's just an intimidation thing. Think of it as him testing you. Making sure you don't quit on him as easy as others have. I've been keeping him in check, since I've got a little more pull, but I can't stop him from acting how he acts when you two are alone."

"I know," She replied, stress furrowing her brows. "You're absolutely sure? I want you to be honest, Ichigo, tell me if I'm doing something that subconsciously makes him hate me."

"Nothing at all. He won't hurt you, but he'll tell me to get rid of you if he does hate you. He's...tolerating you, right now. You said he didn't say anything when you were there?"

Bao nodded. Ichigo kept his smile. "He knows he couldn't say anything nice, so he didn't say anything at all. He didn't feel the need to be nice, or mean to you, so he didn't say anything. Especially since he knows I'd find out. Okay?" He explained. None of it was entirely true, but it wasn't a lie, either. He knew Grimmjow very well, and since they'd known each other for so long, he'd seen Grimmjow change, however subtly, from the pure, ruthless animal he used to be. The important thing was that he wasn't lying to Bao, but needed to take what happened, and turn it into a positive thing. Bao nodded, feeling better. She couldn't force Grimmjow to like her and treat her better, but she didn't like the fact that he was so quick to mistreat her for no reason.

Ichigo insisted he'd come around, as he told her to head back to the living room. The moment she disappeared around the corner, his smile faded to a look of sternness, frustrated that Grimmjow was so set on scaring her. He wasn't going to reprimand him, he needed to get to the bottom of why he felt the _need_ to do it.

Grimmjow exited the shower, the whole of his mirror fogged with heat. Though he couldn't see the distinct features of his face, he could surely see the scar running up his abdomen. It was one he got long ago, before he'd ever met Ichigo. He worked for a man named Aizen Sosuke, as hired muscle. He was only interested in the money at the time, and only had one job, but that didn't mean he couldn't be curious about what the man was doing. Regardless, it was a long time ago, and something Grimmjow needn't think about now.

He wrapped a towel around his waist and chose to let his hair drip-dry, as per the norm. As much as he didn't want to meet, or even be around Ichigo's friends-Bao included-Ichigo was the only one he could stand. Plus, the guy had beer, and a nice TV. Not to say that Grimmjow lived in squalor, but Ichigo put most of his money into living in a decent apartment with many amenities. He'd go, if only to enjoy that.

Once dressed, he stepped into the living room to see his phone vibrating on the couch, sliding just slightly over the cushion. Its sound was muffled, but he'd rather have vibrations than an annoying ringtone blaring. "What?" He answered, knowing full well it had to be Ichigo. Who else would call only an hour after Bao coming to bother him?

"You know what," Ichigo's voice, somewhat hushed, spoke. Grimmjow could hear the others far off. "She thinks you don't like her." He explained further. Grimmjow gathered his keys and went through the house, turning off lights as he spoke to Ichigo. "You called for something else, Kurosaki. You could've just left the gloves there, not like anyone's stupid enough to take shit from me."

"I told her to bring them to you because you need to get used to her, damn it." Ichigo shot back, leaning against the wall of one of his bedrooms. "She's not going anywhere. Just understand that."

Grimmjow stepped out, locking his door. "I didn't even say anything to her, and you're complaining." He laughed. Ichigo made it too easy to work his nerves. "I didn't do anything. I could've done a lot worse."

"Try me, Grimmjow. Avoid her all you want, that doesn't mean she's going to go away. Now are you coming over here, or not?"

Grimmjow grunted in response. He didn't have a car, and thus had to walk. He hadn't been asleep for long, but now that he was up, and wide-awake, he noticed only now that it was at least 9:30, 10:00. Ichigo took it as a 'yes', and smiled to himself. "This shouldn't be anything bad, Grimmjow. Just come by and hang out for a little while, unwind. It's only Thursday."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, and hung up, slipping his phone into his pocket.

Ichigo-or rather, Keigo-had invited his friends for the night. Keigo insisted they make it a sleepover should they have a lot of fun, but Ichigo strictly forbade it, seeing as he felt a little bad for not having food ready, and having to get delivery. Uryuu, Sado, Orihime, Rukia, Mizuiro, Keigo, Tatsuki, and Renji had all come over to relax for the night. Bao had only just met all of them, but they seemed nice, of course. It didn't take long, however, for the conversation to turn to Grimmjow. Four of them, plus Bao, sat on the sectional sofa, and another four, plus Ichigo, made their place on the carpet.

"But things are, otherwise, going okay at the gym?" Rukia asked, leaning forward. "Yes. He's making lots of progress, and I'm certain he'll get even better."

"Be honest," Uryuu began, looking sternly at her over thin glasses. "He hasn't hit you, has he? We know Grimmjow. His type is garbage. All he does is let all that muscle go to his head; he'll become nothing more than a danger to you both."

Ichigo shot him a look. Grimmjow may be rough around the edges, but he was still a person. "Excuse us, Ishida. We'll take notes from Mr. Perfect over here." Renji stifled a laugh, only to be met with Rukia's elbow gently prodding his ribs. "Anyway, give him a break. Let's talk about something else." He said, quickly. "Did you get a new stereo?" Orihime asked. She too wanted to change the subject. She was aware of Grimmjow's issues, and how he wasn't the nicest man around, but their night was about being together and enjoying each other's time. It wasn't like Grimmjow was headed over anyway!  
Ichigo nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Brand new. Go ahead and play something, Inoue." Orihime felt a slight warmth come to her cheeks. She loved being around Ichigo, but it was his smile that she loved more. She always would, and would do anything to see it, and see him happy. She got up, and headed to the speakers.  
"So when do you think you'll train me, Ichigo? Since you're qualified and all." Renji asked, holding up his fists in a mock boxing stance. "Never, with that form. Plus, I think Zabimaru would take offense."

The group laughed, loud enough to muffle the sound of knocking on a door. Ichigo looked to Bao, who bit her lip, as if to ask if he was sure. He motioned for her to go, like it was safe to. She rose, and answered the door, but not before looking through the porthole. Grimmjow stood there, but with his attention on something else.

"Ichigo," Grimmjow called, stepping past Bao once she opened the door. Ichigo was surprised he was so ready to head to the fridge. He gestured lazily toward the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah. Over there." Grimmjow smirked. "See? You're not _absolutely_ useless."  
Bao hesitantly closed the door, and returned to the group. Ichigo shrugged at her, expecting him to raid his fridge at some point, but genuinely glad he came. Keigo craned his neck, to watch Grimmjow venture into the kitchen. The moment he was gone, he leaned in, and spoke in a hushed tone to Ichigo. "Come on, really, Ichigo. Why did you have to invite him? It's not like he's going to talk to any of us. Why'd he come now?"

"Because he felt like it." Ichigo retorted, blunt. Keigo was right; Grimmjow didn't really plan on speaking to his friends specifically, more like getting drunk in the background, and hoping no one spoke to him. But if he came regardless, the man must have wanted to enjoy himself at least a _little_.

Bao had grown thirsty, and now waited patiently for Grimmjow to finish digging around in the fridge. She gave him his space, knowing full well that he apparently couldn't stand to be around her, so why get near?

He pulled two beers, the necks of the bottles dangling from between his fingers, and stood up straight to see her waiting. It seemed she'd somewhat dressed up for the night. Subtle make-up, hair tamed with a black, wool cap, a white tank top under an open camo jacket, and light blue shorts. He wanted her to come to him, to see the discomfort, to see how strange he made her feel. She stayed rooted to her spot, waiting for him to leave. He wouldn't. Not yet. Not until she at least looked at him, rather than absentmindedly letting her eyes wander around the kitchen.

Bao finally chanced looking at him, having readied herself for his glare. She couldn't hold it for much longer, though, as she tore her eyes away to meet the cool, tiled floor beneath them. "Thanks for coming." She heard herself say, her heart skipping a beat. It never worked to meet your enemies with kindness, such a thing she'd always thought as ridiculous, a waste of time. But she didn't want the two of them to hate each other. They didn't even have to be friends. She merely wanted to be treated well enough.

Grimmjow raised a blue eyebrow. _What? _He shook it off, closing the fridge and slowly stepping past her, eyes never ceasing to size her up, until he was seated in a vacant recliner in the living room. It still bothered him endlessly that she was around, and he'd have to put up with acting differently just to spare her feelings, but if Ichigo really meant what he said, then perhaps he did have to get used to it.

Either way, and with disgust, he drowned his thoughts in the very next drink he took.


	4. Accidentally

Grimmjow was bordering on a headache. He wasn't quite drunk yet, but considered it, seeing as Ichigo's friends were some of the most annoying people he'd ever had the displeasure of being around. The only thing he could focus on was the food Ichigo had ordered, and getting a few more drinks. Some girl, an idiot with big tits, "Inoue" or something, had almost dropped her food on him, and it took a lot of Ichigo calming him down to end his cursing at her. It wasn't his fault she was a moron!

Most of the time, though, they would be reminiscing about things he'd have never involved himself with. Most of those things were during the time he'd worked for Aizen. Such a job yielded little freedom, and though it wasn't like he wanted to leave, he always recognized when he was in danger because of his boss's carelessness. Grimmjow had been nothing more than muscle, nothing more than an expendable tool for Aizen to use to block his valuables from getting into the hands of others. Sure, from time to time, Aizen would sense Grimmjow's rare uneasiness and assure him of his value, but varied, dangerous incidents told him otherwise.

Now, Ichigo and these _people_ were watching a movie. They'd turned out all the lights, and hooked up the surround sound, so as to give themselves the most scares. Bao and Inoue were nestled closest to Ichigo. While all of their eyes were glued to the screen in anxious, unblinking stares, Grimmjow pondered quietly. Why was she so close to him? They'd known each other for long enough, but she was practically on his lap. Couldn't she sit somewhere else? At his feet? On the cushion closest to him? _Somewhere away from Kurosaki. _He thought, eyes still held to her as he downed the last of what would be his last beer.

Something happened on-screen. He wasn't sure, but it must have scared the women in the room. He'd always wondered why women were so easy to scare. Too easy, in fact. But that didn't mean that he wouldn't play on that. Women didn't tend to like him anyway, seeing as he wasn't a pussy-"gentleman" was they wanted, now-and would act as he pleased. So why not give them something to dislike, why not frighten them?

He needn't try to with Bao, as simply being around him was enough to make her uncomfortable. At least, alone.

He watched her, and her alone as the jump-scare happened, to see what she looked like when frightened.

All of her movements were expected. She covered her eyes, hid behind Ichigo. Her legs were tucked up in front of her, taking up the rest of the cushion. She peeked through the gaps in her fingers, and tried her best to look.

Inoue simply clung to Ichigo, waiting for the worst to be over.

Once the movie returned to a more positive and daytime-oriented scene, Bao rose to walk to the kitchen, but Grimmjow stopped her, whistling once to get her attention. She turned and saw him beckon to her, with two fingers. Side-stepping those on the floor, she stopped a decent distance away from him, and asked, "Yes, Grimmjow?" as simply, and as politely as she could. If he wanted to have any reason to dislike her, she wasn't going to give him one. If he wanted to complain to Ichigo about her, she wouldn't give him anything to say about her, besides her civil behavior toward him.

He reached over and held the two, empty beer bottles before her, which she hesitantly took before hurrying off to the kitchen. Grimmjow inhaled for a split second, and sat back in the recliner. She smelled of perfume, of some vanilla scent. Soaps. Girly shit.

And yet another thing he noticed. She'd said his name. He was so used to people saying it with disgust, distaste, frustration, hatred. Especially yelling it. He was used to his name bearing negativity. But she'd said it...gently. Softly. Kindly. It rolled off the tongue. He replayed her saying his name a thousand times in his mind, every syllable shaping those soft, full lips. _This woman. This fucking woman. _

She returned, and he kept his eyes off her. He wanted her out. He wanted her gone. He didn't want the change that came with her being Ichigo's right hand. Once she sat down next to Ichigo, he rose immediately, and headed to the bathroom. Beer didn't go through him as fast as some people, but he needed an excuse to get out of the room. He didn't feel his phone slip out of his pocket and onto the recliner, either.

As soon as Grimmjow left, Ichigo leaned back to make sure he was headed to the bathroom. Why else would he get up and go?

"Here." A male voice called, Renji tossing Grimmjow's phone into Ichigo's lap. "What am I supposed to do with it? Just leave it over there."

"Come on, take a picture or something!" Renji insisted, immediately having Keigo back him up. "Of your dick!" He added, childishly. Tatsuki placed her head in her hands. Keigo wasn't the type to change, even a little! Bao grinned broadly as Ichigo gave her the phone, knowing no one would do anything with it. "He hasn't spoken to anyone and he's ordered Bao around," Rukia started, leaning back on her hands from her place on the floor. "A picture isn't going to hurt. It might even help his mood. It's not our fault he doesn't know how to talk to us. Or at all."

Ichigo made a face. "Oh, he knows how to talk. I'm glad he's being quiet, actually. You guys wanna talk to him so bad, be my guests. But don't blame me if he pisses you off." Ichigo explained, with a shrug. He heard the familiar sound of a camera shutter, and found Bao to have taken a picture. One of herself, and one of her, and a distracted Ichigo.

"There," she spoke. "now he'll have one of both of us."

"To delete." Ichigo joked, as the group turned their attention back to the TV.

It got late, and a few of the others had work, or University to attend. They made their way out together, carpooling to get where they needed to go. Ichigo bid them farewell for the night, and returned to the now spacious couch, stretching with a loud yawn. Bao kept her place next to him, and Grimmjow stayed motionless on the recliner.

"How'd you like them, then, Grimmjow?"

"I'd kill that 'Rukia', if I could." Grimmjow muttered. He was admittedly tired, one could see he'd been keeping his eyes closed for the rest of the night, in an attempt to relax. He was glad they were gone, and hoped that the headache he'd sustained would go away the following morning.

His eyes slowly opened, however, when Bao announced she was ready to leave. Ichigo, understanding, stood as well. "You sure it's alright over there?" Ichigo inquired, Bao recognizing the confusion-which she deemed cute-on his face. _God, did he look like Isshin._ She laughed, waving it off. "It's fine. They caught that guy, and you shouldn't hear about it on the news anymore. The house is a little burnt, but it's blocks and blocks away from where I am. Plus, I'm on a really high floor."

"Alright," Ichigo responded, with a relieved exhale, his features relaxing to a soft smile. Bao turned as Ichigo held the door open for her. "Goodnight, Grimmjow. Get home safe, and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Grimmjow didn't respond. He grated his teeth upon seeing her embrace a slightly nervous Ichigo, and then take her leave. Ichigo closed the door. "So are you staying or what?"

"..."

"Grimmjow."

"What?"

"Are you staying the night or what?" He repeated, speaking as he cleaned up after his guests. Grimmjow paused again, and got up to walk to a nearby window, just in time to see Bao enter her car, a white Honda Civic. "Were does she live?" Grimmjow asked, answering Ichigo's question with a question, much to the latter's annoyance.

"How's it your business?"

"Just tell me; quit playing fucking games, Kurosaki." Grimmjow spat, turning to face his coach. Ichigo sighed, defeated. "Y'know, Grimmjow, what's the matter with you? You were eyeing her all night, and you wouldn't say a word to her. If you have some shit to say to her, say it to me." Ichigo demanded, his dark, brown eyes locked with Grimmjow's. The latter smiled a twisted, conniving smile, chuckling to himself as he stepped closer. "I don't have shit to say to her I could say to you, and you know that."

"She's seeing someone." Ichigo lied.

"Where is he then?" Grimmjow questioned. Ichigo remained silent. "Exactly." Grimmjow answered, heading for the door.

"She's there as a favor to me, Grimmjow. It's business between you and her. Leave it, and her, alone, or you'll be in some serious shit."

"Just tell me where she lives. You want me to get used to her, I'll do that. I just need to talk to her."

Ichigo knew he would regret it in the morning. This was practically putting his friend's life in risk, throwing Bao's trust to the side. He couldn't do it, and it wasn't like Grimmjow would be able to find her on his own. He willed down the urge to give in, and shook his head. "Go home. If you want to know so badly, you can ask her. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early."

"Ch'." Grimmjow scoffed. "Spineless."

Ichigo sighed as Grimmjow slammed the door behind him, and continued to clean up, and set an alarm for the morning.

Bao stretched, having showered and brushed her teeth. It was only 1:45 AM, but she felt as tired as 4:00. Her apartment was simple, fairly smaller than Ichigo's, but she'd made it as comfortable and personalized as she could. She pulled her wavy locks into a messy bun atop her head, and was clad in a black sleepshirt and socks, gold lettering diagonal across the front. She eased into her bed, but not before checking the locks on her door and windows. One could never be too safe.

Her phone, kept on the charger on her nightstand, buzzed with a quiet, harp-like ringtone. An unknown number showed, but it was one in her area. She answered, tentatively, holding the phone with one hand as she eased further into her bed. The ceiling light stayed off, while a small lamp on her nightstand was on.

"Hello?"

"Woman," A deep voice growled into the receiver. The occasional passing of a car could be heard. The caller must have been walking the streets. "Where do you live?"

"Who is this?" She asked, unsure. It couldn't have been. There was no reason for it to be. _Grimmjow?_

"You know who the fuck it is. Kurosaki wouldn't tell me where you lived. So tell me. I'm a long way from home."

"Grimmjow," She started. He inhaled sharply. There she went again. Saying his name. How dare she make it sound so _good_. "You shouldn't be out this late, you need your rest or you won't be able to function tomorrow. I'm serious."

"**I'm only going to ask one more time, and you should be grateful I'm asking.**" Grimmjow spoke. A shiver ran down Bao's spine. His tone had totally changed. She held the phone with trembling hands, her heart rate quickening. She'd never been so worried someone about someone coming to see her.

"Where do you live?"

Bao told him, scared of what he might do, and included the floor, and room number so he would know what button to push outside. The moment she did, he hung up. She let the three definitive beeps signal the end of the call before slowly putting the phone back onto the charger. Now wide-awake, she watched the clock, waiting for him to come to her. He had to have been joking. Maybe he was headed home? Maybe he was only saying that to get her to tell him? Maybe it was all part of his intimidation tactics? She made up numerous possibilities, but believed none of them. So she laid there, waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

A loud, single bang sounded, startling Bao and waking her from her drowsy state. It was now 2:00, and she desperately wanted to sleep. They'd have a long day tomorrow, and Bao would rather be ready than let down Ichigo.

But for now, she had to worry about Grimmjow. She hurriedly got up and rushed for the door. Grimmjow felt he need only "knock" once for her to come to him. She opened the door slowly, to look up at his 6'1" frame. His hands were deep in his pockets, and he glowered at her shortly before making his way into her home. Their backs to each other and the door closing soon after, he spoke, his low voice breaking the silence.

"What are you to Kurosaki?"

"I'm a friend. That's all, Grimmjow." He must have been threatened by someone else being close to Ichigo. At least, this is what Bao began to assume. "I'm sorry if I'm doing something wrong. I don't mean to make you upset, Ichigo just needed my help, and I wasn't doing anything and wanted to make a little more money, and I thought I could help you and..."

As she rambled on, apologizing for one thing after another, Grimmjow really only listened when she said his name. He hated what it did to him. It was as though when she said it, she caressed the name, stroked it softly and lovingly, when all he'd known is women would say it and butcher it. They'd chew on it and spit it out. They'd use it in hushed whispers when they saw him, talking about him amongst themselves and advising each other to stay away. She was something else entirely. And it got under his skin.

He turned and stepped closely behind her. Perhaps it was the warmth he was giving off that told her he was this close, but she trailed off, her apology ending, and quickly turned around, backed against the apartment door. He reached out and placed his forearm against it, leaning down and peering into her eyes, an even darker gray in so little light. Her lips, her _goddamned lips_ were parted just slightly with surprise.

So easy to scare.

"Grimmjow, go home. Please." She wasn't asking, now. She was begging. He'd gotten what he wanted, to see her uncomfortable. To see her fidgeting and nervous because of him, directly. But as he was there, he found that that couldn't have been what he wanted. He wasn't getting what he thought he would out of it. She was pleading with him, not for the sake of, but because she didn't want this to happen. She was scared. Shaking. Her eyes seemed to water now.

_Fuck. _

He gave her one last look, and leaned back, letting his arm slide off the door. He stepped past her and opened it, leaving without a word.

Bao closed it afterward, locking it again.

Grimmjow's hands turned to fists in his pockets as he left the building. What had he come to her for? Why was she crying? He didn't do anything. He didn't say anything. How did he make her cry?

It was an accident.


	5. Tell Me

Ichigo stepped into the back room of the gym, having shaken off the last bit of sleep that clung to him. He'd fallen asleep shortly after Grimmjow left, and slept heavy at that. But now, he was ready and willing to put up with whatever Grimmjow felt like doing, seeing as he probably didn't find Bao's home last night. Much to his surprise, Grimmjow was already working on the speed bag, eyes forward and focused, forehead slick with a thin line of sweat, a few beads dripping from the ends of his hair.

He went to the closet to retrieve Grimmjow's jump rope, and other training items, as well as water from the cooler, and a few towels. "Finish up over there," Ichigo spoke, raising his voice as he was considerably far into the back closet. "do your stretches and get ready to get in the ring."

Grimmjow could barely hear him. Both over the speed bag, and his own thoughts. Bao hadn't arrived yet, and until she did, he'd have his own thoughts to stew in. What had he done? He wasn't guilty, he didn't regret going to see her. Kurosaki could do fuck all to stop him. But why did she cry about it?

Ichigo sighed, bringing with him a new roll of athletic tape. "You've been running through these a lot...Try to save some, at least." He was talking to a strangely non-talkative Grimmjow, but as far as he was concerned, as long as Grimmjow wanted to train, he didn't mind in the least.

"Sorry I'm late! I stopped for some breakfast." Grimmjow heard a female voice call, clearly out of breath. He caught the scent of McDonald's and coffee, both in her hands, and soon Ichigo's. He stopped and picked up the jump rope, wondering why she looked as though last night never happened.

"It's fine, don't worry." Ichigo excused her, holding up a hand, and flashing that same, gentle smile. She presented the bag to him, and he gladly took a few sandwiches. Grimmjow wasn't hungry, but he'd eat her food if he felt like it. What was she going to do? _Cry_. Grimmjow answered, mentally, before starting his exercise.

"I got you some orange juice, Grimmjow," Bao said, without looking at him as she removed the medium-sized cup from the drink holder. He continued, even as she came closer, clipboard now held to her chest, a black pen between her slim fingers. He hesitated a moment. She wouldn't go away unless he took the drink from her. _Annoying._

He reluctantly stopped, and she stepped forward, holding the straw close enough that he could drink.

Dry eyes. Smiling. Holding the drink as if to say, 'go on'. He rolled his eyes, exasperated, and leaned down to take the straw between his teeth. "Bao'll be wrapping your hands up. I'll actually need you to get started on the training bag," Ichigo paused to place his hand on the large, black bag hanging from the ceiling. "Then we'll go to the ring and use the pads."

Grimmjow didn't respond, other than staring at Ichigo, and drank. He must have not noticed how thirsty he was, as Bao seemed to giggle, gently pushing against his chest. "That's enough."

His eyes scrolled to her, and he released the straw. Whatever reason she was being nice to him grated at him. Bothered him.

Bao stood across from him, boxing pads fastened to her hands. Her hair was pulled back in a large ponytail, and her outfit was as simple as usual: a black sports bra, yoga leggings, and running shoes. Grimmjow leaned against the ropes, not at all taking her seriously.

He moved his fingers. She'd done well taping him up. "Kurosaki."

"What?" Ichigo said, from outside the ring. Grimmjow felt a grin creep onto his face, earning a concerned look from Bao. "You know I fucked her last night, don't you?"

Before Ichigo could say anything, Bao shook her head, allowing her hands to drop to her sides. She couldn't pretend she was fine after last night, and apparently, Grimmjow wasn't having it either. "Ichigo, I just remembered, there's a couple cases of water bottles in the trunk of my car. My keys are in my bag, over there. If you don't mind?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. We could use more, thanks for picking them up." Ichigo nodded, and briskly grabbed her keys. He gave Grimmjow a suspicious look before leaving.

"Okay, Grimmjow, you have my attention." She spoke, frustrated with his behavior. Grimmjow's grin faded. He stood up straight, and sauntered over to her. "What did I do?" He inquired. It was almost as though it wasn't a question asked out of curiosity, but a demand to know.

"What do you mean?"

"Stop playing dumb all the fucking time." Grimmjow growled. He wasn't having any of this 'innocent' shit today. "Why were you crying if I didn't do anything?" Her weakness made him sick, to the very pit of his stomach. But what was worse was the fact that he couldn't figure out why on his own.

"Look, I didn't expect you to come over. It's been a while since...someone did," She explained. She didn't date often, and wasn't used to being in relationships as a whole, and though that was probably the last thing on Grimmjow's mind when it came to interacting with her, she couldn't deny the effects relationships have had on her. "I thought you were going to do _something_." She continued.

"Fuck you?" Grimmjow stated, blunt. Bao nodded. Grimmjow scoffed, and looked to the side. He hated stuck up, shitty women, but he wouldn't go so far as rape. He'd seen what it did to the women he'd known. Or rather, a woman. Aizen didn't employ just men when it came to serving him. Some chick, Halibel if he remembered, was supposed to make sure Aizen wasn't being cheated by those he sold to, money-wise. That way, he could at least get the upper hand, and cheat them first. But this position came at a price-being Aizen's chew toy. And he didn't make it pleasurable for her in any sense of the word.

He wanted to tell her he wouldn't, that he wasn't like that sick fuck, Aizen. She didn't know, and she didn't need to, but if it hindered their being alone, then he'd have to find one way or another.

Bao held her hands up. "Can we please just get back to training? Please. I want you at your best, Grimmjow."

"Yeah, whatever." He responded, taking his stance just as Ichigo returned with one of the cases.

"Your next bout is in a week and a half," Ichigo started, while Bao spoke to the manager of the boxer they were supposed to meet, on her phone. "We'll be going a ways out to their arena, but it shouldn't be more than a half hour away; straight shot. Got it?"

Grimmjow grunted, pulling off the athletic tape. Bao joined them, stashing her phone in her bag. "Great progress today. They're really excited to meet you. Do you want a ride home?"

Grimmjow looked up, from his place on the bench. Bao had offered to take him home. Though his body felt like a single, sore muscle, and he felt like being driven home, he refused. "No. Just go on your own." He rose, gathering his things and pulling on another sweater.

Ichigo closed up, and the trio found themselves outside. Ichigo got in his car, and waved to them before driving off. Grimmjow hurriedly began his walk home, bag hanging off his shoulder, and hands in his pockets. Bao stared after him, shortly, and got in her car. What was so hard about showing her a little positivity? He didn't have to like her, or act like a child who had just gotten a new step-mother, but it was getting old, fast.

Still, she couldn't help but think she was skating on thin ice when it came to even being near him. He was bold enough to unabashedly come to her house, but he'd held himself back enough that he didn't try to have sex with her, or even kiss her. But something about him told her he'd be the last to ask for permission. He seemed rough, like he wouldn't be gentle with anything in his life. Would she let him kiss her? Sure, maybe...

Having made up her mind-she couldn't afford to be scared of him anymore, he'd only keep messing with her and thus, worrying Ichigo-she got into her car, and drove after him.

Grimmjow crossed the street, barely avoiding a passing car, but keeping his pace. A car slowly followed him, other cars passing it up. He looked over. Bao.

"What do you want?" He asked. Bao wasn't sure of this, but figured she could at least keep being nice, until she was burnt out. "You don't have to walk home."

"I know I don't," He yelled back, over the street sounds, his gaze forward. She kept following, trailing behind like a goddamned puppy. "That's why I'm doing it anyway."

"Grimmjow." She called. He groaned, cutting his eyes at her before stopping. The toothy growl he'd presented her with faded as he closed his mouth, looking around before slipping into the passenger seat.

He'd had to endure her music for about twenty minutes, but his thoughts were so clouded that he couldn't bother to truly listen. He could only enjoy the bass various songs produced. He needed a break. The moment he got to his house, he planned to shower, rather than go to sleep and shower in the morning, as was his habit.

She pulled up to his house, putting the car in park. "Alright, here you go. I'll see you tomorr-"

"Come on." Grimmjow ordered, opening the door. It was only now Bao noticed that Grimmjow, a man of considerable size, hadn't buckled up. She quietly shut off the car, and followed him. "Grimmjow, I can't stay long, I've got things I need to-"

"Shut up." He cut her off once more, leading her into his home. He knew she had to leave for whatever stupid reason, but that didn't mean he wanted to hear her say that. Bao made a face. She was getting tired, _very tired_, of being treated with so little respect. She hoped he'd think twice if he was going to try anything with her, especially if he was going to behave this way.

"Hungry?" He asked, not at all sounding as though he'd do anything about it if she was. She shook her head. "Thirsty?" Again, she shook her head. "Tired?" He asked once more. He didn't look like he cared, even if she said yes. She'd answered 'no' to all three. Grimmjow stepped closer, and pointed past her. She looked to him, and sat, obediently. There was no denying that she was of course, attracted to the blue-haired man. But that didn't mean she had no right to be scared of him.

He sat down, distanced, from her. She was expecting him to force himself upon her, but strangely, he hadn't moved. He did no such thing. She fidgeted, playing with her fingers and the straps of her bag.

"I don't know how Kurosaki does this, and I don't really give a damn." He suddenly spoke. Bao, confused, leaned forward. "Grimmjow, just tell me. I know we haven't known each other for very long, but if you want to tell me something, just say it. I promise I won't overreact or something." She promised, reaching out to touch his knee.

"I. Am." He replied, aggravated. "Just, where do you want to go?"

"For what?"

"Out. With me." He asked, doing his best to avoid her eyes. Bao held her fingers to her lips, taken aback. He must not have done this sort of thing much, if at all, and this was the best way he could think to do it. It was around 5:00, and a Friday, so they did have a range of choices. Grimmjow could kick himself. He wasn't embarrassed, per se, although he was frustrated that doing this wasn't his strong suit.

"I guess we could go out to eat."

"Where?" He wanted to say a lot of things. Whatever would get her to stay the night. He'd spend whatever money he had on her, if it meant she would stay, and not cry ever again. He wanted her to know that 'where?' meant anywhere. Anywhere she wanted to go, he'd bring her. Whatever would make her comfortable around him, since discomfort was...unsavory.

"You don't want me to dress up or anything?" Bao asked, confused. Grimmjow raked his fingers through his locks. "I'm not going to. So don't."

If that was his way of telling her she looked fine as is, Bao started to believe that he was warming up to her. At least, from a frozen-glacier-in-the-arctic level.

Bao insisted on dressing up on some level, letting an impatient, borderline-embarrassed Grimmjow wait in the car. She'd come out in a black dress with sleeves just past her elbows, and black heels. Grimmjow didn't care about being underdressed for anything, and wore what he wanted to. They went to a steakhouse, Bennett's, for dinner.

The two didn't speak to each other. There was nothing to speak about. Grimmjow ordered his steaks, and Bao, pasta.

"Grimmjow?" She asked, having chosen to sit nearer to him, than across the table. He stopped, fork in midair, with a bloody cut of steak on the end of it. "What?"

"Well...Why did you do this? You didn't have to." Truthfully, Bao was extremely appreciative of this. Had Grimmjow not _persuaded _her to come with him, she'd be eating a disgusting microwave dinner instead. "Don't ask me things like that, woman," he replied, returning to his meal. Bao's eyes lowered, and she continued eating. She couldn't hold anything against him, this was probably the first "date" he'd ever been on, and it wasn't like he had a lot to go off of, save for TV and general knowledge of what men and women do. "You lied." He grunted, taking a swig of his beer.

"...?"

"You said you weren't hungry."

Bao opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He was right. But she couldn't have possibly said no. It may not look like it in any way, shape, or form, but Grimmjow was a person, too. Grimmjow had feelings. She couldn't have said no and risked upsetting him, the only qualms she had about it all was his attitude, and the way he treated her-bordered misogynistic.

She looked to Grimmjow, carelessly wolfing down his food, and stifled a laugh. He couldn't hear her.

"Stop." She called, earning an incredulous look from him. "It's...You've got..." She pressed a finger close to her mouth, barbecue sauce on Grimmjow's face. "Here, let me," She said, as he apparently misunderstood her. She propped his face up, fingers of her free hand gently placed underneath his chin, while the other used her napkin to wipe away the sauce.

Grimmjow had yet another moment to think. Another thing he wasn't used to, someone touching him in a way that wasn't a punch. He looked at her, hair framing an oval face. She smelled different this time, the vanilla scent underlying another perfume.

"All gone." She balled up the napkin and set it aside before continuing her meal. Grimmjow did the same.


	6. Begging

The pair returned to Grimmjow's home, having enjoyed their night. At least, Bao was outspoken about such a feeling. Grimmjow wasn't the type to admit he liked anything, other than beating the hell out of opponents. She'd have something to tell Ichigo later on, seeing as she had to stop Grimmjow from starting a fight, and getting them kicked out of the restaurant.

He walked in and she followed behind him, but he saw that she stayed near the door as he made himself comfortable on his couch. "I should get going, Grimmjow. It was really nice."

"You don't have anywhere to be."

"Now how do you know that?"

"Because I said you don't."

He stood immediately, and walked toward her, eyes locked onto hers as he pushed on the door, shutting and locking it, backing her against its cold surface. Bao began to get goosebumps, but she wasn't as frightened as she was when they were in this situation only a night before.

Grimmjow never asked people for anything. He wasn't going to start now. He couldn't ask for permission. It was strange to him, unnecessary. His goal was to be the type of person people would give anything to, no need to ask.

He couldn't ask her. He wasn't going to, he could not physically bring himself to ask her permission, but it was her body. If he wanted her to give herself to him in all her entirety, he had to give her that much leeway. She could say no, and he would let her go. He'd be angry with himself, because he would know it was his fault, it was something he did or didn't do that upset her. But if she said yes...

_Can I...Can I...Can I?_

"Let me." Grimmjow whispered, betraying his thoughts. He watched her movements closely, he had to know if she was too nervous for him. Ichigo couldn't stop him. He'd do what he wanted. He couldn't yank the leash back and keep him from her. It was inevitable that they'd be alone, and he'd be able to do-

She leaned up and kissed him, pressing her lips against his, halting his thoughts. He held her close, hands exploring her body.

Bao's mind raced, blurred, incomplete thoughts weaving through, this way and that. Ichigo wouldn't be mad at her, but worried. She knew this. Grimmjow had never known compassion, so she wasn't surprised he was a rough and rude individual. She had plenty of love to give, and it seemed like he needed it the most.

He picked her up, and pressed her against the wall, and in one swift movement, helped her keep her legs tightly wrapped around his waist, feet crossed at the ankles. He took a handful of her hair for a moment, and released it, overwhelmed with the desire to _just keep touching her_.

Grimmjow hardened between her legs, enticed by the messy, desire-driven kiss. Bao pulled back, breaking it, a thin trail of spit between them. His eyes were hazed, the blue they usually were, darkening. He attacked her neck, running a warm, slippery tongue over the skin before digging his teeth into her.

"Stop!" Bao chanced, wiggling uncomfortably in his grasp. It was too much. It felt like he was going to lose control. He reluctantly let her down, confused. She seemed to have wanted it. What was wrong? Grimmjow was a dominant, ruthless man at times, but he understood 'no'.

She looked flustered, and struggled to unlock the door behind her. He caught her wrists in his hand, and silently unlocked it in a simple, quick motion. "I'm sorry." She said, more to the door than to him. She quickly left, hurrying to her car. Grimmjow waited for her to get out of earshot, out of sight before he angrily slammed the door. She'd be comfortable with anyone else, _anyone_, of that he was sure.

It had to be something he was doing. He wasn't normal. He wasn't like those other guys, he was just...Grimmjow.

He put his hands in his hair, tangling them in his unruly locks, trying to figure out what he did. Was she a virgin? Was that why she was scared of him? It didn't feel right to play off of her fear like the others, if he wanted to get whatever he wanted from her, he couldn't do that. He didn't want to, anymore. Either way, he was sick of feeling this way, like something was his fault, but she wouldn't tell him, and he couldn't figure it out. She'd better not tell Ichigo about this.

"Are you sure? Well, how bad is it? I don't want you to feel like you absolutely have to be here every day." Ichigo replied. He was concerned. Neither Grimmjow nor Bao had shown up, then again, it was around a half hour before either were supposed to, as well as him.

He paced around the gym. He didn't expect Grimmjow to show up in a timely manner, seeing as it was Saturday, but if there were ever times Grimmjow needed to get something off of his mind, this was the first place he'd go. And only.

Bao, though, was claiming to be sick. "No. No, that's fine. Look, I don't want to see you at all around here until you're 100% better. Not for Grimmjow's sake or mine, or whatever, but for you. He's not the only one that has to be at his best." Ichigo heard the front door open, and close.

He smiled inwardly. "Yes, again, that's fine. Drink plenty of water, and make sure you're rested. I'll see you when I see you." He hung up, just as Grimmjow entered the room.

"Bao's sick." Ichigo spoke, as Grimmjow strutted past him, dropping his bag against a wall. "Fuck if I care. I'm not coming in tomorrow."

"Why?" The two of them knew the gym was closed regardless on Sundays, but on occasion, Ichigo opened it so as to get more solitary boxers a space. "You are the nosiest fucker I've ever met. Mind your business."

Ichigo raised his palms in defeat. "Alright, alright, calm down." He approached the other male, who seemed a little more on edge than usual, a little more aggravated and focused on getting to work than talking at all.

On the way home, Grimmjow stopped into a grocery store. He was running low on beer-and he had to face it, food-and as much as he hated to be in a place with that many people, he needed to at least feed himself. He couldn't help but think, however, that all of this could be solved if that woman would cook for him. He checked his phone as he stepped through the freezer section. No missed calls. Not that he was expecting any to begin with. He noticed his Photos app was still open, and that Bao had taken pictures. His walk slowed to a stop as he looked at one of her, and one of her and Ichigo. He set his jaw, and called her.

"Hello?" She asked. She knew it was him, now, and simply named the contact 'Grimm'.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at home."

"You're not sick."

"I know. Did you tell Ichigo?"

"Don't ask stupid questions. Come over."

"Grimmjow, I can't."

"Why not?" _Was she with someone? _

Bao couldn't admit that she was scared. She needed him to believe she wasn't leading him on, she wasn't wishy-washy about how she felt, but she wasn't ready to give herself to him. He'd probably screw up, and hurt her in some unimaginable fashion. She sat up straight, in bed, and muted the TV. She felt that whether she made up, or had a genuine reason as to why she couldn't go, he'd find a way to get them alone together.

She wasn't answering, so Grimmjow answered for her. "Then I'll come over."

Bao rubbed her forehead as he hung up. He needed to make a habit out of saying goodbye before he did that.

Grimmjow arrived sometime later, like he said he would, groceries in hand. He knew he wouldn't feel like bringing them back home, so he took advantage and got her to agree to helping him bring them back later on. He'd leave of his own accord. Now, they sat in the living room, Bao purposefully leaving the TV off. If he wouldn't leave, she'd make him feel like he should.

"What do you want, Grimmjow?"

"That's a bad question to ask me." He replied. "What I want is about 5'7". Pissed at me for some reason. With a big ass."

Bao held her head in her hands. If he was so ready to objectify her like this, then she couldn't stand to put up with him and pretend that they could have anything close to even friendship. "Get out." She said, without a hint of authority in her voice.

"No. I came over here for a reason."

"What?"

"To finish what I started. Don't act like you don't give a damn about me at all, now. You're always being so nice to me, women don't do that. They hate me, and I hate them. I don't meet the kind that actually want to..." He stopped, deciding he'd given too much away, as Bao had turned to face him. He was right. From what she'd heard, women didn't seem too impressed by him. He wasn't a disgusting slob; he cleaned up well and kept a semi-tidy home, but it was his personality that others found grating and insufferable. She could stand it, but only because there was good buried deep within him under piles, mountains of negativity and, probably, self-hate.

"Kiss you." She finished. He stared at her. She had a choice. He knew his worth, and even that was exaggerated by his arrogance. But when it came to something personal, he was at a loss for what to do. At least, from what she could tell. She stood, and grabbed Grimmjow's wrist, wordlessly leading him back to her bedroom.

Everything was a blur. The only thing Bao could be sure of was that she didn't regret this, not at all. She couldn't. In fact, giving herself to Grimmjow may have been the best decision of her life.

Her bed rocked ceaselessly, Grimmjow's grunts and groans sounding as she gripped the pillow with every thrust. He wasn't gentle, not at all, and he probably wouldn't be even if she asked. Being gentle took time, it took patience and the want to enjoy every painfully slow thrust. That wasn't his style. Even now, the last time he remembered he'd even had sex with months ago. Maybe a year. But that girl was long gone, and he isn't nearly as drunk as he was that day. No, this was a pleasure that needed to be felt when one was absolutely sober, 100% wide-awake. A few strands of hair stuck to their foreheads as their bodies warmed. Grimmjow had left the bedroom door wide open, in fact.

He leaned down and caught her neck in his hand, gently running his thumb over her throat, as if testing the smooth skin. She squealed and writhed beneath him, shirt hiked up so as to expose her chest. The two were partially clothed, as Grimmjow didn't have the patience to fully undress. He'd only yanked down the front of his sweatpants, and thrown his shirt, as well as her panties, to a pile on the floor. Bao managed to open a single eye to a slit, and noticed he had a silver chain with a '6' on the end of it around his neck. _When did he get that? I've never seen it before...Oh God, I can't tell Ichigo about any of this, I don't know what he'll do..._

Grimmjow didn't give a single fuck about how Ichigo would feel if he found out. It's not like he wanted a relationship with the girl. He finally got something he wanted, after going through pointless, extra stuff. She felt good, good enough to make the man bite his lip, and though they were in missionary for the moment, he'd grab her ankles and manipulate her, move her around, try her in different angles-one felt particularly good, and caused him to tighten his grip on her, and inhale sharply through his teeth. The best thing about this? He wasn't even close to done with her.

He made her call his name, something he'd wanted her to do for a while now. She nearly screamed it, arching her back for him, fingers pulling helplessly at the sheets. He pulled out.

"Turn around." He ordered, and thought himself generous for giving her a moment to catch her breath. He knew he was the best she'd ever had, she looked like she'd never gotten anything like this before, that she didn't know a man could feel this good. But he'd prove to her that she'd come crawling back, spending her days with him in the gym, unable to keep her eyes off _him_ for once.

Finally, she was ready for him, on all fours, looking over her shoulder at him. That innocence of hers, that 'be gentle' look on her face, in her eyes, that'd be the death of him. He steadied himself, and thrust mercilessly into her, reveling in her surprised yelp. His hips seemed to buck on their own as he reached forward and grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling on it.

She felt a painful sting as he used his free hand to swat her ass. Repeatedly. He leaned down, and in a hoarse whisper, growled into her ear. "I don't want you to sit down **once** tomorrow without thinking of me."

She whimpered, and in response, Grimmjow pulled even harder. "Shut up." He commanded. She did her best to obey him, moans cut short to breathy gasps. He swatted her again, leaving the red mark across her skin even brighter. "I said **shut up**." He thrust harder, to emphasize his words. She put one of her hands across her mouth, muffling her sounds, her body shaking under him. "There...That's more like it. Don't make me have to tell you again, woman." He spoke between breaths.

Bao had never had anything like him before. She'd been on dates, she'd had sex before. But none of those men were as dominance-oriented as he was. He knew exactly what he wanted, and apparently what she wanted, seeing as she was loving this. She was actually loving this! He never ceased to surprise her.

Grimmjow edged on finishing, and it was only then that he realized he hadn't put on a condom, and wanted to finish inside her. He'd have to save that for another day, unfortunately. His breathing became heavier, and he released her hair to dig his fingers in her hips. _Fuck...! _

His breath hitched, and he pulled out, resting his dick on her, to finish on her lower back.

Bao's firm grip on the sheets released slowly as she felt the sporadic warmth of what he'd done. He exhaled, one definitive breath, and looked at her lower back, and then her, as she looked over her shoulder.

"Grimmjow..."

He raised a hand, and placed a single finger to his lips, shushing her. She looked down, and decided to do it herself. She eased out of bed on shaky legs, and carefully walked to the bathroom to get cleaned up, using the wall as support. Grimmjow fixed his sweatpants, and laid back on one side of the bed, one hand on his chest, the other between his head and the pillow.

He'd have to come over more often.


	7. Territory

Grimmjow awoke with a start. He must have fallen asleep while she was cleaning up after him. Either way, he was under the blankets, and the other side of the bed looked messy, as though she'd gotten up already. He could smell food cooking, and hear the faint popping of grease from a pan. 9:22 AM.

He sat up, and slid out of bed. She must've been enjoying herself, because she sang quietly to herself, phone hooked up to the speakers on the table. He saw this as he slowly made his way into the kitchen, slid behind her, and eased onto the counter. He wouldn't say a word to alert her of his presence.

Surprisingly, it took a while for her to turn around. She jumped, of course, startled, but smiled at him. "It's almost done. I hope you're hungry."

Grimmjow took note of her appearance once more. Her hair was a bit of a mess, but kept up in its usual bun, and because of the expected heat later on, she was clad in a t-shirt and shorts. He'd neglected to put his shirt back on, his scar-ridden torso exposed. Bao had sheltered a healthy curiosity when it came to asking about their origin, but she felt it rude, and kept quiet. She turned to leave the kitchen, but Grimmjow caught her wrist in his hand, and gently pulled her back to his front, to stare her down, apparently.

Bao scratched her head, and thought to say something, but nothing immediately came to mind. He reached up and held her chin with his thumb and first finger, and pressed his lips to hers once more. Truly, she wanted him to do all of it to her again. And again, and again, and again, until she could barely move. But she couldn't ask. It wasn't even supposed to happen.

"When Ichigo finds out-"

"Why do you keep talking about him?" Grimmjow asked, irritated, letting go of her chin. "Because he's my friend, Grimmjow, he has a right to help me if I'm...putting myself in certain situations."

"You make it sound like I'll kill you or something." He spat, leaning back against the cupboards and swinging his feet a bit. "He won't know shit unless you open your mouth, you know that. I don't want to hear him complain, so I have no intention of letting him know."Bao didn't respond. She only made him a plate of food, handed it to him, and went into the living room.

The day went on. Strange enough, neither of them had gotten a call or text from Ichigo. Grimmjow couldn't care less, while Bao assumed he was busy with his friends. She didn't know them very well, and frankly, she felt she hadn't the time to sit down and do so. Especially when she was busy with Grimmjow. He didn't feel like training, or even talking about the bout he was scheduled for. He seemed to only want to talk about what they were doing.

"You sore?" Grimmjow asked, a patronizing grin on his lips. Bao avoided his gaze, and lied, "No."

"I'll have to fix that, then."

Grimmjow had insisted the two go out, and 'do something', and it wasn't like Bao could-or even wanted-to say no. She felt that if she showed any signs of _wanting _to be around Grimmjow, or having interest in him, romantically, that she'd be ignored, criticized, made fun of.

Regardless, they now drove to the theather, located in the mall. Grimmjow hadn't really given her a choice, so he drove. Bao sat carefully on the passenger side, indeed sore from the night before. This did nothing but boost his ego, satisfying him to no end. He loved that he could have this effect on her, as many times as he wanted now.

Grimmjow thought he caught a glimpse of a hickey on her neck, hidden by her hair. He didn't get to look at it long before he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He answered it, without looking at who was calling. "What?" He said, not caring who was on the other end, be it Ichigo, one of his friends, or an extremely unlikely call from one of Aizen's subordinates.

"Grimmjow, the bout's getting pushed up. I haven't been able to reach Bao all day, so hopefully you can go and check on her. The most we can have her do is come along when the day comes. It's Tuesday, probably Wednesday. Okay?"

The blue-haired man rolled his eyes. What did he care; he was ready and willing to cut down anyone that was unlucky enough to be paired up with a powerhouse such as himself. "Yeah."

"Do you know what's going on with Bao? Where is she?"

Grimmjow hung up, not wanting to speak anymore, and pocketed his phone. There was no reason for Ichigo to know what they were doing or where they were going. If he found out, he found out, but Grimmjow didn't want to deal with it now.

By the time he parked, he looked to see her sleeping. He gently hit her upper arm, shaking it seconds later. "Wake up, woman. We're here."

Bao drowsily woke up, rubbing her eye with the base of her hand. She mumbled incoherently as she left the car, Grimmjow already locking it and ahead of her. She had to jog to keep up with him, and thought to hold his arm while they walked, but didn't want to offend him in some way, or be rejected.

The mall was packed, as it usually was on the weekends. An indoor amusement park housed dozens of rides, from small ones designed for children, to large, intricate ones for teenagers and adults. He didn't plan to go there, of course. Straight to the theater. He wasn't made of money, but if she wanted something, she'd better speak up, and _not_ right before they were leaving. The two made their way up an escalator, and while they were still, Grimmjow moved his arm. He kept his hand pocketed, but looked to Bao and gestured for her to take it.

She held him obediently, and walked at his side, feeling a bit better knowing that he wanted her to do such a thing.

Every now and then they'd pass a group of people that were spending their day there, and a few looked at her, but only because she looked as well. She wondered what it was like to be with someone who didn't treat her like she was property, like whatever she had with Grimmjow, if anything, was the norm, and what she deserved. They now waited in line.

"What do you want?" He questioned. He'd neglected to tell her what they were going to see, but he felt like _The Purge: Anarchy_ was good enough for him. He wanted to see her scared, but this time, scared enough that she would cling to him like she'd clung to Ichigo. He was there now, and there was nothing to be afraid of. She didn't need Ichigo _at all_. He was all she needed to protect her. Then again, this may have just been a movie, but he meant these things in any situation. He wouldn't risk his life for her, as he focused on living. But if there was anything he'd want her to know, it's that Ichigo was nothing compared to him. Grimmjow was better, and always would be.

They seated themselves in the middle of the center section in their respective theater. Grimmjow wasn't hungry, but knew she was. It was a while before the movie was supposed to start, so they, and everyone excitedly gathering around them, had time.

"Did Ichigo call?" Bao asked, a large cup held by both her hands. Grimmjow fought back a groan. "Yeah." He answered after waiting a moment. "Does he know where we are? Does he need us?"

"Stop talking about him. He doesn't need us and he didn't ask anything." Grimmjow replied, sternly. Bao nodded, and began eating.

_What is it; what the hell is it with her and Kurosaki? He's not here, so who cares what he wants, who cares what he's doing. _

Part of him told him that it was somewhat reasonable for her to worry about Kurosaki. It was only natural; she'd known him longer, while the two of them had only just met. Another part was greedy, wanted nothing more than her attention, and for her to shower him in her love and affection. He reached over and wrapped his arm around her, draping it over her left shoulder. "Do you want anything?" Bao tilted her head just slightly. He must have meant later on, when the movie was over. Did she want to do a bit of shopping? "M'hm, later." She held her drink up to him, and he took the straw in the corner of his mouth, staring at her with that same, half-lidded, almost unimpressed look. He drank, eyes never leaving hers.

They returned to Grimmjow's house almost immediately after the movie. Grimmjow would go to his grave, never admitting that he loved when she cowered into him, when she was scared enough to bury her face and shield her eyes in his side. He was unsure whether she'd even seen the movie, knowing she spent most of her time in a frightened, anxious state. He didn't care. As long as she was cuddled up to him, that was all that mattered.

He was taking her again, now, but this time, let her ride him. Her hips rolled expertly, the soft squish of him filling her to the hilt heard. He watched her, pleased, and relaxed with his hands behind his head. He'd stripped her nude, while he remained almost fully clothed. It got him off, seeing her look like a cheap fuck he could use over and over. Her hands pressed gently against his chest for balance. It wasn't long before he joined in, his hips thrusting up and hands snaking to her backside, grabbing her firmly to pull her down into his movements. He was deeper now than last time, earning frenzied moans from her.

His phone rang. Eyes still glazed with pleasure, he felt around his nightstand for it, and held it up. "You on birth control?" He asked. She slowed to a stop, but before she could say anything, he clasped her neck. "I **didn't say you could stop.**" She resumed, obeying him, but nodded. She was.

Finally, Grimmjow answered his phone, eyes never leaving her golden frame.

"I'm getting sick of this shit, Kurosaki. What do you want?" His voice lowered, the underlying feeling she gave him changing his tone.

"Where's Bao? I went to her apartment, I've tried calling her, I don't think she's getting any of my messages."

"She's...**busy**." Grimmjow swatted her ass again, and out of fear, Bao covered her mouth. Grimmjow laughed, not caring whether or not Ichigo heard the sound.

Ichigo felt his stomach turn. He had no idea Grimmjow would be so quick to do such a thing to someone he had gone on and on about hating. But this was only a guess. Maybe he was watching porn, or something. Either way, he was disgusted that he would take advantage of someone that was supposed to be as close to him as Rukia and Inoue were. He hung up, not having the stomach to handle it tonight. He'd talk to him about it some other time, but just. Not. Tonight.

Grimmjow chuckled, and tossed his phone aside, letting it land with a clatter against the nightstand. Thanks to that call, he was back at square one as she kept riding him. He'd have to get close all over again. "Turn around." Bao heard him say. Things tended to...happen when he said that, and they were a bit more than she could handle. But she didn't want him to stop; she'd beg for it if it wouldn't fuel his ego to critical. She rode him, ass facing him now, and only sought to go faster once he moaned, letting his head roll back, hands busy at work on her backside.

He spread her, met with the sight of him entering her again and again. There were so many things he could do to make this better, to get him closer, faster. He could dress her up, buy her heels, lingerie, all that lacy, girly shit. Just so he could take it all off.

Just thinking about it caused him to edge. He grabbed her once more, and quickened his pace. Her hair reached further down as her head rolled back. "Say it." Grimmjow barked. She could barely comprehend him. Her eyes were opened to slits, and she could only focus on how good he kept making her feel. He spanked her, harder than usual, and repeated himself. "Fucking say it! Say my name!"

She called out to him, voice heavy with submission. He came, now holding her hips in the vices that were his hands. "Keep going..." He added, panting as she slowly continued, his load spilling down his shaft. The tip was extremely sensitive, so he had to let her off whenever she chose to, otherwise he risked a second time.

"Good girl."


	8. Ready for Anything

Their night together had ended differently than Grimmjow expected. Once they had cleaned themselves up, she gathered her belongings-things that Grimmjow had bought for her-and quickly left. Grimmjow didn't stop her, as he knew she'd come back and spend another night with him. He was irresistible to her, of that he was certain. But he couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised that she was so ready to leave him so soon. It wasn't that late. Perhaps she wanted to be ready for their training since the date was pushed up, but there was no way she would know that.

Thinking about it gave him a headache and filled his mind with unwanted thoughts and unanswered questions. He leaned back, his bedroom held the lingering post-smell of sex. Blue eyes staring at the ceiling, he wondered silently when she'd come back. So far, they hadn't missed a day, and he wanted her until...well, until he didn't anymore, and could handle a break from being inside her. Such a thing didn't seem likely, but anything could happen.

"Were you looking for me over the weekend, Ichigo?" Bao asked, her tone quiet as she spoke to him while Grimmjow worked the training bag a ways off. Ichigo blinked, those deep, brown eyes bright with confusion. "Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I couldn't get a hold of you since you got sick. But you're here now, and that's what's important. I just had to let you know, and I don't know how you'll take this, but Grimmjow's next bout, the one at their gym? It's either Tuesday, or Wednesday. We can't say for sure." Ichigo muffled his suspicions, something he wasn't entirely good at, unless the situation desperately called for him to hold his tongue. But this was a friend, not a problematic stranger.

"Ugh, that doesn't leave us with a ton of time, but he's improved so much from his time with Iori that I think he'll have the upper hand for most of the fight." Bao raised an eyebrow as Ichigo placed his hand on her shoulder, his smile faded. "Where were you?"

His seriousness knotted her stomach. With a defeated sigh, she brushed the curly strands from her sight. "With him."

"Bao, he isn't someone you want to mess around with like that. He is a friend and all, but...he doesn't know how to treat anybody decent unless it's him. Has he hurt you?" He placed his hand on her jawline, tilting her head and looking for handprints around her neck. No such thing.

"No." She said, simply. "He didn't want you to find out, but I don't like the way he tries to keep it a secret from you, it's rude. It sucks." Bao shrugged. "But the thing is...it was only a few times. I can't really see myself with him. You were right. He's a pretty mean guy." She admitted, with a false smile. They both turned to watch Grimmjow circle the bag, his fists flying with blinding speed, near perfect precision. He barely heard what they were saying, but the longer they talked, the less he focused on the task at hand. It was only a Monday, after all. He was going off the thought that his bout was the following day, giving him even more reason to concentrate on what he was doing.

Bao approached him with some water as he finished using the bag. A resistance band hung from her forearm. He took the bottle from her, messily drinking from it, not caring about the drops that missed his mouth and trailed quickly down his neck. He aimed to take gentle hold of her chin once more, seeing as Ichigo was momentarily distracted, but she brushed his hand away. "You're not finished." She added. Grimmjow narrowed his eyes as she shoved the resistance band into his hands, spun on her heels, and returned to Ichigo's side to monitor his progress.

The end of the day seemed to come too soon. Grimmjow felt he was ready, that his body stayed as perfectly-sculpted as ever, and that he'd reduce his opponent to a quivering, broken-bodied pile at his feet. These images were enough to psych him up. He was ready. Ichigo, for once, sided with him. He didn't care if Grimmjow listened, but he reminded the boxer of key techniques to never let go of, to make sure stayed available in the back of his mind. Grimmjow merely nodded, and grabbed his belongings. He heard a car start outside, and only then had he noticed Bao was gone. She was avoiding him; he understood now. He wasn't worried about whether he'd done something, and as much as it wrenched at him, he gave her time to think things over. What had she meant, that she couldn't see him anymore?

Before Grimmjow took his leave, he stopped in the doorway. "Kurosaki."

"What?" Ichigo asked, locking up various equipment and doors.

"What did you tell her?"

Ichigo paused. He caught on quick, which was strange, even for Grimmjow. He boldly replied, "I didn't tell her anything. She told me. I'd advise you to stay away from her, Grimmjow. Focus on your job."

"Don't give me that shit. Don't talk to me like I'm a child. What, is this because you want her, or something?"

Ichigo flinched. Of course he didn't. She was nothing more than a close friend, he couldn't imagine being involved...romantically with her. "You tell me not to treat you like a child, and then you say childish shit to me." He said, calmly. Grimmjow turned, angered. "Say it again, try me, Kurosaki." He prodded. "You know that _this_," he held up a fist. "could easily end you."

That much was true. Ichigo knew the mechanics of how Grimmjow fought, but that didn't mean he'd stand a chance against a direct onslaught. They had fought once in the past, as a result of a bad argument. Grimmjow wiped the floor with him. It wasn't something he'd like to repeat, but if things led to that again...

"You've got a weigh-in to get to, Grimmjow. You don't need to be concerned with getting her alone. She's headed over there now, anyway. So, come on."

Grimmjow slid his hand back into his pocket, following Ichigo. He didn't even know his opponent's name.

"Hello and welcome to Silver Banks arena, where we're gathered for the weigh-in between Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, and Bazz-B!" A gray-haired man announced, dressed in a suit and standing on a small stage, microphone in one hand, rectangular piece of paper in the other. Ichigo and Bao stayed to Grimmjow's left and right. What they were doing, he was unsure. He only knew that they needed to speak directly to whatever officials came near him. In a sea of faces, and rushing bodies, Grimmjow caught the cocky smile of a man with a brightly-colored mohawk, eyes hidden behind a pair of dark Aviators. He held a toothpick in his mouth, and his hands just slightly off his pockets. A red dress shirt, gloves, and black jeans. He looked antsy, just itching for a fight. A man in a long coat, with an odd amount of facial hair-Ichigo had told him about someone named Yhwach-stood motionless next to his fighter. Presumably, that was his coach.

Grimmjow was already fueled with an inhuman amount of hatred for them both.

"Ladies and gentlemen, making his way to the stage!" The announcer began again. He looked to his right. Bao gently covered her ears every time the announcer spoke into his microphone. The crowd, practically bursting out of the arena, grew restless as he called Bazz-B to the stage. He sauntered up the stairs, surrounded by his team, and a plum-haired woman trailing behind.

"Now, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques!" The announcer called, and he boxer could feel himself hurried along by his team. Ichigo and Bao stayed to his sides as he stepped up, raising a hand to the crowd, who cheered as loud as they had for Bazz-B.

Bao looked on. As stone-faced as he was, chances were he was still happy to be there, and ready to fight. He wanted to beat Bazz-B. There was nothing he wanted more. Except for her, maybe.

The weigh-in soon began, as both fighters stepped back to their respective sides, and stripped down to their briefs. Bazz-B went first, shooting Grimmjow a triumphant look as he stepped onto the scales. He was built, that much was clear. But that didn't mean that he was stronger than Grimmjow. It didn't mean he was better, faster, smarter, or more dedicated. He was, or at least made it look like, ready to fight.

"Bazz-B weighs in at 170 pounds! 170, for Bazz-B." He flexed, showing off what he'd gained in the time he spent training. Grimmjow scoffed, knowing he'd utterly destroy that mohawk-wearing weakling. His woman was in the background, clapping like a moron for him. Would Bao support him at all? He could understand if she didn't want to see him anymore, but there were two things she couldn't deny:

That as a manager that chose to stay a manager, she had little to no choice of supporting him, and that for their nights together, he'd fucked her into ecstasy.

Bazz-B stepped off the scale and looked back to Grimmjow, gesturing with his head. Grimmjow fought back a look of disgust, not wanting that piece of shit to get confused and think that he had any effect on him. Grimmjow stepped up when his name was called, and onto the scales. He rolled his shoulders, and opened and closed his hands, looking onward into the crowd. Bao and Ichigo looked on as the announcer called, "175 for Grimmjow Jeagerjaques; 175."

Grimmjow kept a straight face, and ignored Bazz-B, who said something to his coach about him, no doubt. He flexed as well, showing the crowd, but hoping Bao saw him. Part of him thought that what would keep him going was the need to fight _for her_. To see her face after a barrage of punches, to see her smile after taking home a win.

To see her wearing next to nothing.

He watched her as he came back to them, Ichigo handing him a pair of sweatpants to put on, Grimmjow's shirt balled into his hand. "Nice job, Grimmjow," He started. Bao nodded in agreement as Grimmjow's eyes jumped from her, to Ichigo, and over his shoulder to Bazz-B.

"You're gonna have to take some pictures. Get over there."

Grimmjow's expression contorted, but he wasn't surprised. He turned and stepped toward the front of the stage, and Bazz-B mirrored his movements, their respective teams near enough to them. The two stood near each other, but didn't once trade glances.

At least, not until Bazz-B turned to face him.

The two stared each other down, their gazes unblinking. Grimmjow stayed as still as a statue, Bazz-B fidgeted only slightly. They backed up, and returned to cameras on other sides of the stage.

"Garbage," Bazz-B said confidently to a match reporter. "he's going to get killed out here."

Grimmjow and Ichigo exchanged glances and looked on, watching him loudly tell them his opinion of Grimmjow, having having sized him up. "He'll get wrecked." Bazz-B laughed, an almost crazed look in his eye.

The reporter spoke to Grimmjow moments later. "And you, how's Bazz-B looking for you?"

Grimmjow set his jaw, shrugging with raised eyebrows. "He thinks he's hot shit. Let's see how long he can stay on his feet."

Bao smiled, proud of Grimmjow. Only now was she feeling excitement. Hearing such confident, yet simple words from Grimmjow made it hard to keep that smile back. The crowd cheered, and Ichigo nodded, gesturing for Grimmjow to follow them, as the weigh-in had come to an end.

The ride home was silent. Bao had taken her car, and Grimmjow had no way of knowing where she was going. He hoped she was impressed, he hoped she was on his side, now and forever. Ichigo had him in the passenger seat, a few cars behind Bao. "No loose ends you need to tie up?"

"Right then and there," Grimmjow said, more as a reaction to Ichigo talking than as a response. "I was close, so close, to knocking his fucking teeth in."

"Good thing you didn't. Save all that for tomorrow night. We'll have a little more free training so your muscles are plenty warmed up."

Grimmjow rolled down the window in response, getting a breath of fresh air.

He had to see her tonight. He couldn't wait until the morning; his nights weren't the same without her soft form to treat himself to. 

She opened the door, her hair straightened and longer than the usual curliness that passed, or sat upon her shoulders, clad in a black nightie. Had she worn this for him? Had she known he was coming, regardless of what Ichigo would say?

No.

Bao hadn't intended on seeing him at all. "What?" She asked, folding her arms in front of her chest as he stared, leaning against one side of the doorway, his arm above his head. "You wear that for me? I knew you liked the little show I put on for you." He teased, flexing the bicep of his free hand.

"...Good luck with your fight tomorrow, Grimmjow. Goodnight." She said, coldly, and with her eyes skimming the ground.

Grimmjow's smirk vanished as quickly as it'd come, and he stood up straight. He put his foot against the bottom of her door, and leaned in. "What's your problem? I didn't come here to get kicked out."

"I don't have a problem. You shouldn't be here, and you should listen to Ichigo. Stay away from me."

Grimmjow paused. She'd told him to stay away. She really didn't want to see him. Any other time, he would've acted like he didn't care, he would've brushed it off and stepped inside. But he was frozen. Stuck.

"Don't say shit like that." He quietly responded, his brow furrowing. She was all he had, when it came to getting rid of the pent-up frustrations and years of hardships he'd faced. In a world of pain and fighting, he needed something at the end of the day, something soft that he found would get him by.

"Why shouldn't I? You wouldn't take me seriously when I told you to stop. You kept coming, you kept following me. Leave me alone, Grimmjow." These words pained Bao to say them, but she was only saying what Ichigo had been, only Grimmjow would listen to her, if only a little bit.

"Woman..." He trailed off, but she stopped him. "And that's another thing. You haven't called my name once. Ichigo can say it, why can't you? It's Bao. _Bao Vue. _And I don't need to give myself to someone who won't even bother to remember my name."

Grimmjow had had enough. His teeth grated, and he finally yelled, "Shut up!"

Bao jumped. He stepped into the apartment. What was she to do? He'd never go away, and it was best she either get used to him, or resign her position to someone else.

"You keep saying all this, you think I don't give a shit about you."

"Because you don't!"

"You're damn right I don't!" He retorted a bit too quick, turning to face her. This caught them both off guard. He hadn't meant that. He swore he hadn't. It was a slip of the tongue, nothing more.

"Then go." Bao's voice quavered.

"I'm not going anywhere, and I'm tired of you thinking I'll go when you tell me to."

Bao gave up. She closed the door, and locked it. Apparently Grimmjow was staying he night.

She stood as he stepped toward her, stopping at a hair's breadth of a distance. He took her hands in his. They were soft, uncalloused, unlike his own battered hands. He couldn't do it. His plans were thrown off. He couldn't take her tonight. Tonight, he'd just sleep with her. Protect her. Hold her in his arms until she dozed off, forgetting all the troubles he'd caused her, that he was unable to apologize for. He didn't know what they had, but this was the only thing he could think to do for her to disprove everything she thought. He cared. He cared a lot. But he wasn't ready to let her know that.


	9. The Heat

Grimmjow hadn't slept at all. Though Bao lay sound asleep, gentle breaths sounding as her chest rose and fell, he'd been up, silent. He wasn't tired, and it was nearing dawn. He let his fingertips brush gently over her skin. Bazz-B was all that crossed his mind. He had to win. He had to beat him; there was no reason he shouldn't go down before all twelve rounds were up. Bao stirred, cuddling closer to him.

"Wake up." He said. A few seconds passed before she sat up straight, slowly, with a yawn. "Grimmjow...? You stayed?" The femme thought he'd have taken his leave by now, with the fight being that night. He silently held her, shifting his arms so as to lift her onto his lap. He needed to concentrate. He needed her now. She was his muse. He buried his face into her side, leaving her to wrap her arm around his head, planting kisses in the bright mass that was his hair.

"Do your best, Grimmjow."

Ichigo started his stopwatch, and Grimmjow pumped out as many push-ups as he could. His sharp, exhaled breaths could be heard as he easily blazed past fifteen in the first ten seconds. He wouldn't stop til he was covered with sweat. "One-handed." Ichigo stated, crossing his arms. Grimmjow had to be ready. He had to be. He wanted the boxer to feel this workout all the way into his match. Grimmjow did as he was told, if only to prove to Ichigo that it wasn't a problem for someone like him.

"Switch." Ichigo advised, louder, this time. Bao had come along, to make sure Grimmjow was properly hydrated, and his progress was what they'd hoped, or better, and not a fluke.

"Yhwach called." Ichigo informed Grimmjow, bitterly. "He claims Bazz-B can see right through everything that you've got. That you've got predictable punches and his guy's coming out as the winner."

Grimmjow scoffed, getting to his feet. "You tell that piece of shit to blow me. I'll hand him back Bazz-B's head, and we'll see who's the winner."

Ichigo smiled, marveling at Grimmjow's mix of fearless determination with expected arrogance. He was certainly ready, beyond a doubt.

They'd taken Ichigo's car to the arena, followed closely by the rest of the team. A stillness settled amongst them, no need to ask Grimmjow if there was anything he had concerns about. Even if he did, he'd lie about them, so it was pointless to ask regardless. He sat up front, gray t-shirt and sweatpants, his gym bag at his feet. Bao was seated in the back, with Grimmjow at the wheel. She feared for Grimmjow. It was a fight, obviously, but what if he were injured seriously? Bazz-B looked as though he lived his life threatening everyone that ever came near him, why should Grimmjow be an exception?

They arrived, parking in a small lot reserved for fighters. The trio exited the car, and headed for the locker room on their designated side.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said, some time later as Grimmjow stood, fully dressed, before him. "You've got to make every hit count. I know I tell you this twenty times a bout, but-"

"Then stop telling me if I know. Skip the basics. I'm not stupid, Kurosaki." Grimmjow glowered at his trainer, before his cutman pulled the hood of his robe over his head.

He'd been exposed to Grimmjow's attitude for years, and it never seemed to go away. Now, Ichigo could only accept it. "Ready, then?"

"No."

He looked over his shoulder at Bao, wearing a specialized t-shirt with his name on it, jeans, boots, and a lanyard around her neck with an ID in the sleeve at the end, as was Ichigo.

"Woman." He called, knowing full well what her name was. He'd always known, before he'd even seen her face. But this was a hard habit of his to shake. Bao didn't mind...as much.

She looked up at him as his beckoned to her, wrapping a gloved hand around her waist as soon as she was close enough. He pulled her in, kissing her deeply. She was shocked at first, seeing as he usually saved things like this for whatever privacy they managed to gain. But this...This was right in front of Ichigo!

She soon found she didn't care. Her eyes rolled back to a close, and she held his neck. He pulled back, his gaze only visible to her. The corner of his mouth upturned, and he gestured for her to follow him as he was led out, and toward the path to the ring.

The crowd stirred, a few cheers and loud whistles sounding when he made his appearance, pulling his way up and into the ring. Bazz-B was waiting for him. The crowd buzzed restlessly, their cheers growing louder. Most of his outfit was maroon on white.

"Meni," Bazz-B called, leaning over the ropes to call to that same, long-haired woman Grimmjow had seen following him at the weigh-in.

She looked up just as Bazz-B pointed a gloved hand to Bao. "That's the one. Her, there."

This irked Grimmjow. He needed to pay attention to what was in front of him. But it made no difference, if it was this easy to distract this mohawked idiot, the fight would be over faster than anyone expected.

The referee called the two of them to the center, and explained the rules to them. Grimmjow heard nothing, and only narrowed his eyes at the ever-growing smirk of his opponent. _What the fuck was so funny? _

"...Alright?" The ref looked to both of them. Grimmjow hadn't moved, and that included his eyes focused solely on Bazz-B. "You look uncomfortable. Why don't you give up; this shit'll only wear you out." He said, raising his gloves to tap Grimmjow's. He didn't respond, and they backed up to their respective corners. Ichigo, the cutman, an assist, and Bao waited for Grimmjow. "Every single strike, Grimmjow. Don't let him get under your skin; he's a douche, that's his job is to bother the hell out of you."

Grimmjow shed his robe, having donned his colors that he'd worn in the fight against Iori. He opened his mouth and was immediately met with a mouth guard. He rolled his shoulders and head a few times, and hopped in place, rolling his wrists. Adrenaline coursed through his being. He gave Bao one more glance before turning to face Bazz-B. Soon, it was just the two of them. They ignored the ref, and charged at each other, fighting at close range.

Bazz-B was on the defensive most of the time, more often than not successfully evading Grimmjow's strikes. This frustrated him; he couldn't tell what kind of fighter the other man was if he was going to spend his time blocking. He went for the face. Bazz-B leaned back, and took advantage of the space Grimmjow left, a quick jab meeting with his jaw. Grimmjow bounced back, shaking his head just a bit. Ichigo watched him carefully. He trusted Grimmjow to know what to do, to be smart and not leave too many openings like that to Bazz-B's advantage.

"Clever, isn't he?" Another woman's voice spoke, standing to the left of Bao. She looked at her for a moment, recognizing her as the woman Bazz-B was with. "Who, him? I'm sure you think so." She muttered, studying Grimmjow's opponent. "He didn't even sleep last night. He was too excited for the match...You know, Yhwach taught him something new last night. I think he's saving it until later, though."

"What was your name again?" Bao asked, without looking at her. She closed her eyes. "Meninas."

Grimmjow stepped around him, circling him, maintaining a slight distance so as to get used to his moves. Bazz-B continued stepping forward, no matter the risk of giving Grimmjow an opening. His arms stayed perfectly framing his head. Slow, patient, ready steps. Grimmjow was usually an in-fighter, a fighter that preferred to be at close-range and keep his attacks as such, and he would always be. But Bazz-B's style was...sporadic. Unpredictable. Odd. He'd need a little while before he developed something to get around it.

Grimmjow unsteadied him, reaching out to land a punch to his opponent's cheek, seconds before the bell rang, and they were separated. Grimmjow stepped backwards, keeping his eyes on Bazz-B as he seated himself before his corner.

"You're doing great, Grimmjow. Keep dancing around him, keep him on his toes until he uses up all that energy." Ichigo coaxed, stepping before him and blocking off his sight of Bazz-B. He placed a towel over Grimmjow's face, wiping the sweat off. Bao hurriedly came to his side, but stayed out of the ring. She looked hopefully at him, gently holding onto the lowest rope. Grimmjow's eyes went back and forth, from Bazz-B to this coach. "Kurosaki," He started, knowing they had only about a minute to speak to each other. He had Ichigo's attention. "Are you looking at that old fuck over there?" He gestured to Yhwach. Ichigo nodded.

"He's so sure Bazz-B's dangerous. Don't worry about it, just worry about seeing through his technique, while keeping your own." Grimmjow nodded, ignoring the hands of his cornermen on him before standing again, just as Bazz-B had, to begin the second round.

Bazz-B now dropped his defensive state to give Grimmjow a fighting chance. This annoyed him greatly, causing him to change up the way he attacked. He bobbed and weaved, and the two landed blow after blow upon each other. Bao noticed Grimmjow's footwork had greatly improved with the more strict training regimen he'd been put through. He used his footwork as help to extend his punches. Grimmjow took a few hooks to his defense, but didn't flinch at all. He kept himself steady, allowing Bazz-B's punches to slide off his gloves, freeing him up to attack the latter's sides, and face. Grimmjow kept close, giving Bazz-B as little room to use the full strength of his punches. His foolish smirk had disappeared, Bazz-B had recognized what a threat to his streak Grimmjow could be. Yhwach, on the other hand, wasn't at all concerned. He watched carefully as Meninas spoke to Bao, but what really intrigued him was the cold, calculating glare Ichigo occasionally sent his way.

If he had any confidence in his fighter, he wouldn't have looked his way. Grimmjow had to have a weakness, and it wouldn't take long for Bazz-B to exploit it. Once he did, he'd get to enjoy the look of pure hopelessness from Grimmjow's coach. He'd advised Bazz-B to save his attack for when he was absolutely sure Grimmjow was on the edge of exhaustion. Not necessarily ready to give up, but slowed and desperate under exhaustion. He returned his attention to the fight. Bazz-B could hold is own, and was proving to be a slight challenge for Grimmjow, so long as he changed up.

Grimmjow kept close. Bazz-B unleashed jab after jab, and Grimmjow weaved out of the way, Bazz-B's attacks sliding off. Grimmjow's pride wouldn't let the fight continue this way; he couldn't just play off of the openings Bazz-B left, he had to make some himself, he had to work on overwhelming his opponent.

Bazz-B took advantage of the split second he used to think, and back Grimmjow into the ropes, having him on the defensive. Bao called out to him, barely heard over the roaring Bazz-B fans. Grimmjow gritted his teeth, arms defiantly protecting his face. He waited as Bazz-B released such a barrage, until he could evade it, and quickly got on the other side of him.

"That's it, Grimmjow, stay up!" Ichigo yelled, anxiously holding onto the edge of the ring. He had the utmost confidence in Grimmjow. He could do this, he was leagues above Bazz-B in strength, he had to be. But without a place to put all of it, and most time spent on the defensive, how much longer would he have before it was too late?


	10. The Heat 2

Seven rounds passed. Grimmjow had had the upper hand for the majority of them, but Bazz-B had had enough of being toyed with, and aimed to take Grimmjow down as soon as possible. There had been a few separations from the ref on holding, though it was a bit harder to adhere to boxing rules when the two hated each other enough to let such hate slip into their fighting.

The bell rang, and the two were called back to their corners. Bao had never seen Grimmjow so...worked. His torso glistened with sweat. "Three rounds left, Grimmjow. Keep him up, stay aware." Ichigo added. A woman in skimpy clothes with brands decorating them held a large, square sign up that showed the number of the round.

They were up, and at each other once more. Grimmjow kept the two of them spaced, using it to both catch his breath, and make note of Bazz-B's movements. The two men were growing tired at this point, increasing their need to win.

Bao ran a nervous hand through her hair as Meninas, motionless at her side, spoke. "He'll do it soon, you know."

Bao didn't believe her. Bazz-B had had all this time to do whatever move Meninas kept reminding her of, why hadn't he?

Bazz-B had Grimmjow against the ropes once more, swinging and swinging, desperate to get a hit in that would keep him that way. Grimmjow let him close in, only to push him away, and gesture for him to keep going, and once he did, Grimmjow exploited it.

Grimmjow landed a hook to an uppercut-its strength was cut because of their closeness-to Bazz-B, who came back with two, lightning-fast punches to Grimmjow's sides.

"There it is..." Meninas informed Bao.

"What does that matter?"

"He'll chip away at Grimmjow, until he feels that burning feeling of tightening his core to defend from it."

Bao bit her lip and looked on, Grimmjow holding his own.

Round eleven out of twelve. Bazz-B's face was considerably swollen, his pale skin growing a faint red while his mouth hung open, heavy breaths passing his mouth guard. His bottom lip was red, as a bit of blood was kept in his mouth until an assist came to him with water, and a bucket.

Grimmjow was being cleaned up in his corner as well. "He's looking tired. He's getting to the point where he won't be able to fight anymore. We don't need a hard knockout, Grimmjow, just one more legal hit to unsteady him, and we're done. Gone. We can go home. Take the win." Ichigo sternly instructed, giving him back his mouth guard.

They faced each other once more, Grimmjow's abdomen burning from the hits it had sustained. He left his face completely open, but not long enough for Grimmjow to take advantage and get a hit in. Thankfully Bazz-B hadn't gotten enough hits in on Grimmjow's face so as to leave many wounds. The same couldn't be said for him, unfortunately.

_There! _Grimmjow thought, sparing himself the time to ready his abdomen and shield himself from Bazz-B's attack. He went straight forward, releasing every ounce of himself into this punch. He felt it all, the heaviness and stoppage of Bazz-B's face against his glove. He thud his body made from falling. The high-pitched ringing of the bell as the ref hurried between the two of them. Bao and Ichigo's cheers, above all the others that surrounded him. Bazz-B quickly got up, but it was too late, the ref insisted the match was over, earning a soft shove from the incredulous, mohawked man. Grimmjow returned to his corner, earning congratulatory pats on the back, and cleaning up, from his assists. Before he knew it, his gloves were off, and he was handed a shirt with his name on it. Both fighters' corners waited outside the ring, an anxious buzz about the arena.

Grimmjow was declared the winner, by technical knockout.

As with any win, right after, Grimmjow was harassed by reporters and photographers, but it didn't last long. At least, not with Bao and Ichigo by his side. He'd beaten Bazz-B, and wasn't sure what he wanted to do next. There were two cuts on his face, one underneath his left eye, and another on the brow of his right. Sleep was what he needed now.

Ichigo, who had the others in tow, pulled up to Grimmjow's house. He looked over his shoulder to see a sleeping Bao in the back seat. Ichigo grimaced. "I'm taking her home."

Grimmjow looked at him. "You're trying to damn hard to keep her away from me. She wants to be around me, and it just fucks with you, doesn't it?"

"Only because she isn't safe around you."

"Ch'. And you're any better?" Grimmjow mocked, opening the passenger door. He could take her with him now, just to spite Ichigo, but she needed her rest. It _was_ the first fight she'd ever seen Grimmjow in, and the excitement in that day must have worn her out. He wordlessly left the car and entered his home as Ichigo pulled off.

"Wake up," A voice called to Bao, one that wasn't as rough and demanding as Grimmjow's. She stirred turning over in the back seat and opening her eyes. "Grimmjow's back at his house."

"Oh? Thanks for bringing me back, Ichigo," Bao said, halfway through a yawn, before she too made her way into her home.


	11. Wait

Grimmjow wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself during the daytime, besides to go the gym. He didn't have to, today, and thus itched for something to keep him busy. He wanted to stop by Bao's, but something kept him from it. Something told him he shouldn't, not yet. He didn't casually hang out with Ichigo, because though they were friends, he felt they were friends that were supposed to only spend time on his career. Any more exposure to him outside, and chances were, they'd end up in a fight.

He should've taken her with him. That was what he'd planned to do with the rest of that night. Taking home a win, and taking Bao, as the icing on the cake. But he didn't, and couldn't now. What they had was supposed to be a nightly thing, not something to be felt at...

He paused, and looked at a nearby clock hanging off of his bedroom wall.

11:45 AM. It was a night time thing. _They_ were a night time thing. Whatever he felt with her had to be felt under cover of a pitch-black sky, with nothing more than moon and street lights through the window to help him see her.

Part of him hoped she would come to him, so he would have no choice but to bring her in, and treat himself to her. Another part waited impatiently for night to come around.

But until then, he had nothing to do. Nowhere to be. He'd already taken a shower and gotten dressed. The moment he settled on going for a run, and maybe stopping by the gym, his mind turned to Bao once more. Maybe he was supposed to go see her. He'd never denied himself things he wanted and could get before. He wanted, and could have her, whenever. Why not now?

Bao was enjoying the lazy weekday she'd earned. Still in pajamas, she was eating yogurt from its cup, and enduring daytime television. It was just barely noon, and knowing Grimmjow, he was probably still sleeping. Ichigo was likely out and about, with his friends. He'd invited her, of course, but a day inside was just what she needed.

Her phone buzzed in her lap, and she answered it. "Hello?"

"Let me in. The last few times, people were coming and going."

He must have meant the complex security door. She hung up, and hurried downstairs to answer the door.

Grimmjow pocketed his phone in time to see her. This woman, this small, weak woman, was his. He'd claimed her. She needed him to keep her safe, and he hoped she knew that. The corner of his mouth turned, as if he was amused by her pajamas: a thin tank top and baggy, plaid pajama pants with the nearest University emblem on them. But something caught his attention. A silver chain around her neck, its pendent hidden inside her shirt. It looked familiar, but he brushed it off as she was coming down the buildings main staircase.

She opened the security door and took his hand, leading him up the stairs. "I didn't think you'd come til later, Grimmjow," She admitted quietly.

Grimmjow grinned, deviously. "I don't plan on it."Bao didn't think it was very funny at all.

"So you're okay with Ichigo knowing, since...well, he does now." Bao asked, having turned the TV off as they again sat in her living room. He was on one end, sprawled comfortably, and she was on the other, closed off, legs pulled up to her chest.

"I told you, I don't care if he knows. He can't stop me, and he knows he can't."

"Apparently." Bao admitted, worriedly resting her chin on her hand, elbow on the arm of the couch. Grimmjow turned to look at her. Immaculate as ever. Her only flaw was that she couldn't just be happy with him, and ignore Ichigo. She always made everything about Ichigo, and Ichigo's feelings about the two of them. Who cared what he felt; who cared what he thought?!

Bao almost wished she was with Ichigo and his friends. At least she'd be having fun, instead of worrying about upsetting Grimmjow. The only good thing she could think about was the fact that Grimmjow made her feel ways she knew no man could meet. Her standards were set impossibly high now, thanks to him, but it wasn't like he didn't have his own shortcomings that made being "with" him hard.

"Does your face hurt?" Bao asked, earning a scoff. Grimmjow let her come closer as he replied, "This isn't shit compared to what I made him look like. Did you even see his face?"

"No, but I can see yours." She chanced a laugh, running her fingers over his cuts. They'd long been patched up by a medic. He let her touch his face, giving him time to look her over once more. The pendant had slipped from her shirt, a silver six on the end of the necklace. "So now you're stealing my shit?"

"You couldn't wear it, so I thought I might." She confessed, as he took the pendant between his fingers. She could keep it for all he cared. As long as something of his was with her, it sat fine with him.

"Look alright to you?" He asked, teasing, as she finished inspecting his face. "Fine."

A few minutes' silence passed. 

Grimmjow had known she'd missed him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about proving such a thing to him. She'd been on her knees before him, timidly doing the best she could to please him. Occasionally, he'd chuckle, and looked down to remark on how well she was doing. How cute she looked with him stuffed, down to the hilt, in her mouth. His hand rested on her head, fingers tangled in her ever-curly locks. She was easy on the eyes, everything about her was soft, foreign to someone like him, and it would take some getting used to. He'd stripped her again, leaving her nude while he was clothed. Was this using her? Probably. But there wasn't time, not now to think about whether it was right or wrong.

Every time she'd look down, or look away, he gave a slight pull to them. He needed to remind her that while she did this, she had to look him straight in the eye. He wanted to see them. He needed to see those eyes. He'd take the lead for a few seconds, to pull back and gently tap her lips with the tip, hand firmly gripping the base. "Don't bite." He instructed, as she'd been using her teeth, before sliding his way past her lips once more.

If there were ever a heaven, Grimmjow most certainly would not be let in. But in this moment, he found heaven in her.

A place he'd be welcome any time he wanted.

Her head moved slowly under his hand. He throbbed impatiently, wanting more than this painfully slow attempt to please him. He was grateful, but he needed to show her just how grateful he was. "Come here." His voice was low, coated with want, as he slowly pulled back, his length slick and warm.

Bao obeyed, climbing onto the couch, propped up on his lap. He held the back of her thighs to keep her up, before easing into her. She inhaled sharply, as he was rather thick, but handled him until every inch was sheathed.

He leaned back, one hand clasping her backside, while his free arm rested comfortably on the back of the couch.

"Ride it." He ordered.

If there was one thing he kept on her, it was his necklace. The pendant dangled between her breasts, as if tempting him. Reminding him that no matter where she went, she would belong to him.

He watched her move, impressed. She treated fulfilling his wishes as though they were a forbidden dance. Her moves melded into each other, hips rolling as she raised her hands to trail her curves, losing them in the curled mass atop her head. Her lips were parted to tantalize him, eyes half-lidded, darkening the grey they held. To give him an even deeper pleasure, she held his shoulders, skimming her hands across them, using them to help her keep balance. Her hands trailed up, returning to his hair as she leaned down. She didn't kiss him, not yet. She could tell, however, that he'd lost himself in her. She had complete control. She dared to let her lips _just barely_ brush against his own, teasing him, playing with the risk. He pulled his free arm down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. She leaned down, trailing her tongue up a tendon in his neck. She bit down, enjoying the jump of him against her teeth. He hadn't expected her to bite, much less tease him like this.

His nerves were on fire. Grimmjow scratched her as she bit him, doing his best to muffle a growl against her skin. His fingers dragged down her back, stopping to adjust her, straightening her position on his lap. _This bitch doesn't know what she's doing to me..._Grimmjow thought as she pulled back, playfully biting at the corner of her bottom lip, letting it slide out from between her teeth. She ran her tongue over her lips, tempting him.

_Goddamn..._

Grimmjow started getting close, especially when he stopped to take control, pulling her into his thrusts. He loved when she rode him, every movement she made was smooth and connected, she put on a show for him. There wasn't much she needed to do to drive him into a frenzy. He stopped her to trail his tongue over her breasts, arms wrapped around the small of her back.

Bao's back stung. He didn't scratch her often, or at all, really, and it hurt. But she couldn't tell him that. Maybe it was a reflex to having been bitten. Either way, she hoped he wouldn't do it again.

By the time his edge died down, he started up again, hands at their usual place on her hips. She took the lead, keeping steady motion. _Up. Down. Up, down. _

He exhaled, his chest falling slowly as he let his head roll back against the couch, his eyes closing. Everything about her felt good; her skin on his, her warm breath against his neck, even her moans. The shit was euphoric.

Bao knew his pride wasn't about to let him say anything like this to her, but the best thing about these moments they shared was that she felt like he loved her. He was gentle with her this time. He probably wouldn't be a second time, but she appreciated it. She did.

He wouldn't say it, ever, so she took these feelings he gave her as love. Of course, it was likely another instance of him getting what he wanted out of her, but that was the good thing about interpretation.

She leaned down, brushing her lips against his jawline, planting kisses sporadically. She could feel a bit of the roughness of stubble. Grimmjow shaved almost daily, as he didn't like beards, or facial hair, for that matter. At least, not on him. The most he'd ever had was five o'clock shadow, having laid around the house for days, in a slump.

He turned, surprising her, and caught her lips in his own, reaching up and cupping her cheeks. She held the backs of his hands, happy that he finally showed her a bit more attention. Grimmjow wasn't the type to focus on kissing, if he could help it, or if the alternative was getting blown.

Grimmjow broke the kiss with a reluctance that startled her. He had to finish, he needed more of it. Bao was now on her back, Grimmjow settling for missionary. One hand was above her, grasping at the leather of the arm of the couch. The other was pressed against the back of her thigh, keeping it up. Soon, the other joined.

He wasn't slow, he wasn't gentle. He fucked her like he hated her. It grew harder and harder to keep a position, ending with her legs wrapped around him, his thrusts reduced to quick, powerful bursts. Closer, closer, he had to get closer...

She called his name, starved moans passing her lips. It was then that he saw her in all her beauty, she was glowing. He'd done this to her, he made her feel this way. He hissed as he came hard, spilling into her with no restraint. She had to have known saying his name sent him over.

He took a second before pulling out, their chests heaving. He watched, a lusty smirk spreading as his load dripped from her trembling form. He supposed he should clean her up.

Grimmjow let her shower before she changed. It was early in the afternoon, at least 2:20 PM. He'd forgotten entirely about the time; about anything, really, that had nothing to do with the two of them. She returned to him, and a cleaned couch, in a t-shirt, and pastel, striped panties. He was comfortable, one leg propped up on the couch, the other on the floor. She sat between his legs, back against his chest. He reached up to brush her hair from his face, before wrapping his arms possessively around her.

"What, nothing to say about Kurosaki?" Grimmjow asked, rhetorically. Bao rolled her eyes, but couldn't fight the smile that played on her lips. She looked up, meeting his eyes, a few shades darker than his hair. He planted a kiss on her forehead. She rolled over, to rest her head on his chest. His heartbeat was slowing as he relaxed. He stroked her hair, hoping she fell asleep soon. That was probably the only way he could think to say it. He wasn't ready to say it while she could react, or even hear it.

Ichigo may know him better than a lot of people ever had come close to, but he had his share of being wrong about Grimmjow. He kept telling him that Bao wasn't safe around him, that he was dangerous. He didn't need or want Ichigo's support when it came to her, but if there was one thing she wasn't, it was in danger. He'd protect her, that's what he wanted to do, and when he wanted to do something, he'd do it. Especially when it came to proving others wrong.

Minutes passed. She was definitely knocked out, her limp form comfortable, and fast asleep on his chest. He looked down, moving gently so as not to wake her. He had to double-check. She, under no circumstances, could hear him say this.

"I, uh..." He muttered. Hopefully the deepness of his voice wouldn't wake her either.

"...love you, woman."


	12. Carefully

_She laughed, but there was something off. Something strange about how it sounded, as though he were listening from inside a tunnel, a sound that he could hear all around her. He could see her now, she'd suddenly appeared. Bao. "There you are!" Another voice sounded, before he could call out to her. He turned around to see Ichigo, waiting for them. He looked a bit different, his hair was longer, his expression was softer than normal-a relieved state, in fact. _

_"Let's go." Grimmjow turned to speak to Bao, just as she was running toward him._

_And then, through him. His eyes widened with surprise as he turned, following her with his eyes. She ran straight into Kurosaki's arms. He pulled her close, giving her a gentle squeeze. He said something muffled, something Grimmjow didn't hear. But who cares what he said-he had her. He was holding her. And she seemed __**okay**__ with this. He called out to them. "Ba-"_

_She looked over her shoulder, shooting a look of disgust toward Grimmjow. That look, the look women had given him for so long. She wasn't like them, she couldn't be, she would never be. She loved him, she liked being around him, she could stand him. Couldn't she? Was she lying this whole time? No, it didn't make any sense. She turned back to Ichigo, her hand in his, before they began walking off. _

_Grimmjow thought to follow them, and initially he wanted to, but stopped after a half step. Why should he? If she was so much happier with him, with Kurosaki, then why should he interfere? Why should he keep trying to make his something that could never be? That never had a chance to be? He kept still and watched them disappear. _

_She never looked happier. Ichigo looked over his shoulder before they'd completely vanished, and Grimmjow could hear him, clear as day. _

_"She isn't safe with you. Sorry, Grimmjow."_

Grimmjow's eyes shot open. They darted around as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It came to him, he was at Bao's. Not much time had passed since their lovemaking and subsequent nap, only a few hours. Sunset had begun, characterized by the yellow-orange glow struggling past the blinds of her balcony door.

He felt a slight heaviness on his chest, and looked down to see her, still fast asleep. She drooled a bit-a deep sleep indeed.

At first, he glared at her, and thought to wake her up. But holding a hesitant, sweaty palm to his forehead, he realized it had only been a dream. It never happened. He'd probably tell her about it later. Just so she could tell him how unlikely it was for him to lose her in such a way. They weren't dating, this he kept telling himself, but she was his. He'd earned her.

He faintly wondered where Ichigo was. A line neither Ichigo nor Bao were aware of had been crossed, and the blue-haired man took it upon himself to remind Ichigo of his place before anything would happen.

She wasn't perfect, but she was his, and Ichigo knew better than to encroach upon Grimmjow's belongings.

He exhaled heavily, wrapping his arms around her, giving her a gentle squeeze of his own. He hadn't meant to wake her, but that had been enough. "Grimmjow," She said quietly, eyes still closed.

"What?"

She hadn't called him for anything specifically. Just to hear him respond, really. Bao didn't have much to say to him in these moments they shared between the gym, and the bedroom. He wasn't the pillow-talk kind of guy, and it disappointed her that he wasn't likely to change, even if he cared deeply for her, deep down, underneath his ego.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him, mumbling against his chest. He shifted. "Why?"

She shrugged.

"I guess." He answered.

Without a word, she stood slowly a few seconds later, and walked off to the kitchen. He watched her hips sway with her walk. He looked closely. A few stretchmarks drew across her skin, however faint.

He wanted to take her somewhere. Anywhere. It frustrated him that he couldn't think of a place good enough for her, that he couldn't make her as happy as Kurosaki apparently did.

For Christ's sake, it was a dream. A shitty dream, but still a dream. It didn't, and wouldn't happen, so long as he kept her happy. The last thing he wanted to see was her with Kurosaki, or worse, with someone other than either of them. Just thinking about him gave him the urge to fight whoever came near her. He could see unknown men, hitting on her, giving him an excuse to beat them to within an inch of their lives. He spaced out, visualizing a scared Bao harassed on the street, and him coming to her rescue. This was not to say that she needed saving, but he _knew_ he could protect her. There was no one more fit!

He rolled over on his stomach, the couch's leather groaning and squeaking under his movement. His forearms were crossed over the arms of the couch, his nose and mouth hidden by them as he watched her cook. Occasionally, she'd move out of sight to retrieve something from the fridge, but she came back, always.

There were so many things he could do with her. Some sexual, some clean-normal things "couples" did. He wanted her to live with him. After a long day, he'd come home, battered and exhausted, and fall right onto the couch. His eyes skimmed the floor as he thought of laying his head on her lap. She'd play with his hair until he fell asleep, the perfect way to end the day.

Maybe they'd get a dog. A cat. He didn't care what kind of pet it was. There were so many possibilities-they'd be shopping, and she'd beg him for whatever was in its respective pen. He'd give in and buy it for her, just for her to give it a stupid name once they were home.

Grimmjow didn't want any children in his future. He hated them. Besides, who wanted some little kid that had pissed all over itself coming into their bedroom, while he was trying to fuck her? It'd end the night because the kid would be afraid of some imaginary monster created by his own irrational fears. Plus, he'd have to finance the kid from birth, through college, all that. Why spend money on a kid when he could spoil her? Again, no kids.

Marriage was foreign to him. He'd been hit on by a married woman before, and since then, he'd only thought of it as a joke. Aizen was married once, and that chick had met an unfortunate end. He could hardly get out an 'I love you', so it was out of the question...for now. That didn't mean he couldn't think about what she'd look like in a wedding dress. On the other hand, he didn't need an overpriced piece of jewelry on his and her fingers to let people know she belonged to him.

Grimmjow didn't think about death often, but that didn't make it any less real and likely. He'd been a long way from Aizen, but the past could catch up on him, and fuck him over given the chance. And this ranged from arrests to being shot, point-blank by some guy that was hired as his replacement. He wanted Bao as far away from Aizen as possible, and that would still be too close.

His mind turned back to her. He'd buy a new home just for her, he'd be famous, a champion with a big, shiny belt hanging off his shoulder. She'd never leave him. He was the King, and she, his Queen.

"Sorry, some of this bacon got burned," Bao returned to the living room, a messily-made sandwich on a paper plate her attempt at feeding him. She'd cut it diagonally. He sat up and stretched a bit. Grimmjow eyed it for a moment, before taking a bite. She was right, some of the bacon was burnt. But it wasn't disgusting; he could stomach it.

Rather than saying 'thank you', he simply reached out, and patted her head with his free hand.

Ichigo hadn't had time to himself to enjoy in a long while. He was home, focused only on the shower. To his relief, he hadn't gotten any calls from Isshin, or his sisters, Yuzu and Karin. Of course, he loved them with all of his heart, and always would. But a break from them was deserved. He chuckled inwardly, leaning forward under the shower water, his hand outreached to press against the tiled wall in front of him.

Despite the peace that came with solitude, and the simple, yet lovely things he could do when left to his lonesome, he couldn't help but center his mind back on Grimmjow, and Bao. He hoped for her safety. The man was a natural protector, a guardian to his friends. He'd risked life and limb for them numerous times, and would gladly do it again and again, until he drew his last breath.

But this was different. Bao insisted that she was fine, that she could handle him now. He focused a lot of his time on preventing Grimmjow from seeing her-as this was the best way to keep him from possibly hurting her-but hadn't checked to see if Bao was comfortable with him. At least, not recently. He didn't know how she felt about him. A guy like Grimmjow wasn't capable of love, of that Ichigo was positively certain; why should he let Bao be used as his chew toy? Of all the women he could choose to use near-daily, why did it have to be someone close to Ichigo?

With a heavy sigh, he turned off the shower. He took long, hot ones, so he'd begun to feel a tad dizzy.

He was so worried about Grimmjow's "love" life, or whatever passed for such a thing, that he'd forgotten about his own. He wasn't centered on finding a girlfriend, he never really had been. But that didn't mean that he didn't get his friends and family telling him that he'd be a good match with so-and-so. He liked Rukia and Orihime, but he hadn't really thought about his attraction to them. He remembered Urahara had joked to him about Yoruichi. She was pretty, but seemed more _his_ type than Ichigo's. Thinking about it all was exhausting, and unnecessary. He left the bathroom to get dressed, not headed anywhere in particular, but fresh air seemed like a good idea.


	13. Separate

Days passed. Grimmjow hated to admit it, but his diet and training habits had changed outside the gym. With Bao there, he reluctantly stayed on the path to healthy eating and consistently running every other morning. Ichigo had heard of this, and pushed their gym time to about two hours after he was finished with his run.

Bao had set up a few bouts, and had to put up with a distant, angry Grimmjow that had taken a loss from one of them. Ichigo had warned her about such a thing, but she had no problem giving him space. In fact, that was what she thought was needed: space.

She'd accompanied Grimmjow so often, and it had caused her so much stress, that it was time to give it a break. She ignored his calls, chanced not answering the door, and kept her apartment as quiet as possible. It was scary to have him call repeatedly, and show up unannounced, and frankly, it wasn't romantic. It wasn't wanted. It scared her, but she figured it was best to try ignoring him for a while and seeing if he got the message, instead of outright telling him what she thought. It wasn't likely to end in him obeying her wishes.

The sun had just set over Karakura City. The small town, in the past five years, had grown to a bustling metropolis, teeming with citizens, its bright, optimistic mornings and dazzling nights rivaled only by cities like New York; Paris, even.

Another friendly outing was planned for Ichigo and his friends, although a few of them were a bit too busy for a mid-week outing. Ichigo was joined by Rukia, Uryuu, Renji, Sado, and Inoue, seated comfortably at a large booth, the seat long, and half-circular.

Bao had come along-apparently, his friends were a bit put off by the fact that she seemingly didn't _want_ to be around them-but was in the restroom, under the guise of checking her make-up.

She was worried about Grimmjow, despite knowing there was no need. If he was sneaking around with some other chick, at this very moment, then so be it. But she'd ignored him for days, and each day without him dragged on. Maybe she was getting used to being subject to his whims, and even though that wasn't necessarily good, what could she do?

She sent him a text, inviting him to come eat with them, and left the bathroom, deciding not to check if he'd seen it, or would respond.

"Yeah, Rukia and I grew up in Rukongai." Renji recalled, leaning back against the leather, glass of amber liquid held lazily in his hand. "Believe me, I don't recommend that shit. It was already enough trying to survive like that, but it felt like a minute compared to sitting next to her brother during a meeting." He pointed his thumb at Rukia, who brushed his hand out of the way.

"Yeah, I heard Byakuya's working some desk job somewhere, now?" Ichigo inquired, looking to Rukia. She knew she could have explained exactly where her brother worked, but she didn't feel it necessary. "M'hm."

Bao returned, and seated herself next to Inoue, who hungrily scanned the menu before her. "It's always so hard to choose..."

"At least she already brought us our drinks. You bringing anyone else in, Kurosaki?" Uryuu asked, although not caring in the least whether he was, or wasn't. Their party wasn't getting uncomfortably full, but he wanted to know who he'd have to put up with being around. Only one of Ichigo's loudest friends could be around him in that capacity. Any more, and he'd be on his way.

Ichigo shook his head, tapping his thumb against his glass. "Nah. Nobody. Are you guys ready to order?"

The others gave him affirmative nods. Bao kept quiet-there was no need to announce that Grimmjow had been invited, and that they should be wary of him coming throughout their meal. Not only would it ruin the atmosphere, but she didn't feel it was her place to make Ichigo's friends get used to him as she had.

So far, the night had gone on well. The group was enjoying their night and spent such time together to really focus on connecting, as people. Sado, usually fairly quiet, could find something amusing in the quick banter between Ichigo and Renji, and although it took a lot to make Uryuu laugh, this was one of the rare instances that the two of them proved to be enough.

Bao had joined in on the fun, but that didn't mean she didn't keep an occasional eye out for Grimmjow. She'd see a flash of blue, and notice it was something else, a hat, a scarf. Someone would come in with Grimmjow's build, but she immediately saw that it wasn't him. At this point, she would have settled to think that he wasn't coming, and that he hadn't even seen her messages, but she was too anxious. Too used to the idea that he'd jump at the chance to see her.

Then, she saw him. He came in wearing his usual frown, hands shoved in his pockets. He didn't like being in places like this, but could find total comfort in an arena with screaming fans. Perhaps it was the closeness, the fact that everyone was supposed to be within reaching distance of one another in dim, restaurant light. Either way, she was mildly surprised to be so happy to see him. She excused herself, but was sure they hadn't heard her too well over their own noise.

Grimmjow looked around, led shortly by a waitress clutching a few menus, before she saw that someone familiar was approaching him. Grimmjow knew it wasn't entirely necessary to tell Bao that he was uncomfortable, if anything. She had to know, especially by his expression. He was uncomfortable, but came only because she asked. If only to be in a public setting with her.

Of course, he thought of proving once more to Ichigo that she'd warmed up to him enough to invite him to outings, smug proof that what they had wasn't a one-way street, and that she needed and wanted him; he was sure of that.

He allowed her to take light hold of his forearm, guiding him back towards the table. "You hungry?" She asked, happy to have him along. He merely shook his head, keeping silent. His eyes scanned the tables and their occupants. They all varied, random people. A few of them gave him a glance or two, saying something inaudible to the person next to them, or gesturing as inconspicuously as possible. He wasn't sure if they recognized him from local fights, or because seeing him _with_ someone was strange enough.

Once they reached the table, the conversation halted-near immediately. They looked to Grimmjow not with hate or distaste, but with a surprise that slowly began to bother him. Renji spoke.

"What's he doing here?"

Uryuu hurriedly agreed, as though having waited for someone to speak before he chimed in. "Doesn't seem like his type of scene."

"Yours either, Ishida," Ichigo quickly replied, lifting his drink to his lips. He'd admit curiosity. He hadn't told Grimmjow to come along, or even that they'd be going out to eat. Had Bao?

"Well, it's not like I can leave my boyfriend out of it if we're all out having fun, right?" Bao chanced, shrugging coyly. She knew she was taking a huge risk by saying such a thing, but truthfully, she was tired of not knowing what Grimmjow really wanted. Or not being sure of it. His reaction now would define what they were, and whether she should bother with him at all.

Ichigo's drink caught in his throat, and he coughed, violently. The others were merely shocked, raised eyebrows and disbelieving looks shot right at Grimmjow, who reflected such a look at Bao.

The night carried on, and the feeling of Grimmjow's odd addition to their group wore off after time. Soon enough, they forgot he'd even showed up, save for Ichigo. Ichigo was uncomfortable enough with him visiting her whenever he pleased, saying rude things to her, treating her as though she were some type of object, and even though he seemed possessive and borderline protective of her, it all just seemed rather fake to him. False. A front to get what he really wanted out of her, which had to be working.

He'd have to talk to Grimmjow at some point about this. He wasn't right for her. He was far from it, and wasn't likely to change for anyone or any reason.

Sado spoke, and odd enough, to Grimmjow, stopping the conversation and eating, as it had been some time since their meals arrived. Grimmjow decided to eat before coming.

"I saw your fight with Bazz-B," He started, immediately getting Grimmjow's attention. He'd been sat at the end, as was Sado, with an arm draped lazily around his apparent girlfriend. He wasn't sure how he felt about being declared such a thing, as boxing was the only consistency in his life, but he hadn't turned down the idea. He stared at Sado, waiting for him to continue.

"How well do you think you'll do in a street fight? Bare-knuckle, of course."

Grimmjow huffed, and pulled his arm back to lean forward, on the table. "That a challenge?"

"No. Simple question."

The blue-haired man inhaled and raised his right hand just slightly, looking it over. "Well..."

"I could take you on," Renji joked, crossing his arms. Grimmjow cut his eyes at Renji, a snarl fixed to his mouth, as if telling him not to interrupt. Sado was a relatively big guy, and someone Grimmjow supposed he could take seriously, both in and out of a fight. Renji, on the other hand, he knew had to be a joke. He was nothing _but_ a joke. Fighting and beating him wouldn't teach him anything he didn't already know. Plus, it'd be embarrassing. Like fighting an infant.

He turned his attention back to Sado. "Let's say that street fights are how I got started anyway. I remember this one guy, pretty fucking loud. Obnoxious. Annoying," He paused to look at Renji, who rolled his eyes. "He wanted to fight me after taking some moral high ground, talking shit about things I've done, people I've dealt with. He could handle himself, just not against me. I went easy on him, but only because there were orders to. Ichigo remembers him."

"Who?" Ichigo asked, brows furrowed in confusion. Grimmjow leaned back. "The guy that came in the gym. Apparently he was looking for me. He found me, but this time, I didn't have any orders, so, no reason to show mercy. I guess he told you some bullshit about wanting to be there to help coach." He scoffed, looking off to the side. Ichigo was surprised. Grimmjow had known that man beforehand?

So far, this had seemed to work well enough. Bao still wasn't entirely sure of whether he'd want to be outspoken about what they could be, but she decided that if he wanted to keep everything under wraps, there was no reason to be with him. There is never any reason to be with someone who isn't proud to have you.

Ichigo had waited. He'd been patient all night long, and didn't wait until the right moment to confront Grimmjow. As everyone had gotten into their cars, Bao waited as the others drove off. She started the car, and leaned back to see Grimmjow and Ichigo standing in front of the restaurant, to the side. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but Ichigo's movements suggested more than enough. Grimmjow merely stood there, occasionally gesturing back to the car, and thus, her. Sometimes they mimicked each other's movements, as if calling them into question, but the longer she watched, the more she assumed Ichigo was frustrated. Disgruntled. Grimmjow's body language was ironically subtle, but he looked ready to lash out at Ichigo at any moment.

She honked the car horn, getting both of their attention. Grimmjow joined her a moment later, Ichigo staring after the car before shaking his head, and going to his own.

"What was that about?" Bao asked, eyes on the road as she drove off.

"He thinks I'm brainwashing you or some shit."

She pursed her lips, and Grimmjow groaned, having caught her expression. "Don't listen to him. None of this shit was his business to begin with. What I do outside of the ring is none of his business."

"I'm not a 'what', Grimmjow. But other than that, his friends are his business. I shouldn't have said all of that to them, I'm sorry, but I just...really doubt all this."She made a general motion, between the two of them.

"Don't be."

"Well do you want to date or not? I hate not knowing if I should keep being with you, or strung along."

Grimmjow's elbow rested against the door, hand covering his mouth as he frustratedly thought about the question.

Yes. He did. He wanted nothing more than to have her in whatever way would satisfy her. He wouldn't be doing it to shut Kurosaki up, he'd be doing it for her, and for himself.

"Yes or no, Grimmjow." She repeated, at a red light. She looked at him, and he didn't return her gaze. She had her answer.


	14. Finally

Bao pulled up in front of Grimmjow's house. He hadn't looked at her once, and stayed silent. She wouldn't waste her time on him anymore; there was no reason to. If it was hard, really that hard, to decide if you wanted to be with someone, then what was to stop them from questioning even simpler things?

She switched off the car. "Go."

"Come with me."

"For what?"

"Listen, woman, there was a reason I took so long to get over there." He'd walked to the restaurant, rather than taking the bus. Walking gave him a moment, the option of running, it gave him time, and time was something he found he always needed and could always make use of, despite how impatient a man Grimmjow could be.

She reluctantly followed him inside, and the moment he turned to lock the door, she gestured, with a half shrug. "What, then, Grimmjow?"

He straightened his posture and set his jaw before turning around, as if fed up with her attitude. He leaned against the door, arms folded defiantly across his chest. He leaned his head to the side quickly, gesturing to the couch. "Look."

She saw nothing out of the ordinary, and quickly surmised that he was wasting her time, and hoped that the end of the night wouldn't result in his taking advantage of her once more. Then again, there was probably plenty that she'd done to contribute. She held her hand to her hip. A thin, balled-up blanket. Some throw pillows.

She silently approached the couch and inspected the laptop. Bao sat, and lifted it into her lap. _Dates...?_ He'd pulled up multiple tabs, so many that the words were condensed. The last one that he was focused on was a map, and estimated time of arrival. Sandals Barbados? He had booked them a room, or at least, was planning on it.

"I don't care what Kurosaki says to you about me," His voice instantly drew her attention. He spoke with his head leaned back against the door, eyes to the ceiling. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only one who's doing shit to prove things to you. There's only two things you need to understand: Don't believe everything he spouts, and..." He looked to her. "Don't question me all the time."

"Ichigo?" Bao spoke through the receiver. She'd been over for hours now, and Grimmjow decided to take a shower. She stood outside, pensively biting at her finger. Ichigo answered the phone with a yawn, having been asleep all this time. He sounded drowsy, but she didn't care.

"What?"

"What do you have against Grimmjow?"

"Bao, it's too early for this, you need to go to bed...talk to me about this in the morning, I've been meaning to anyway."

"No, Ichigo, just try and wake up a little. I need to say this to you now and get it done with."

"Yeah, I figured you'd changed your mind after you called him your boyfriend. He didn't look very happy about that."

"When does Grimmjow ever look happy about anything besides winning?"

"My point is, he didn't seem to know."

"It needed to be done. I feel something for him, and I acted on it. How he reacted afterwards would say everything for me."

"Are you at his house?"

"You know I am."

"What did he say to you about it once he got home? Or even in the car?"

"Nothing."

"Tell the truth." Ichigo asked. He kept stern. She was right, it was time that this ended, and he let her do what she wanted, but the thing was, he didn't want to be in any kind of "I told you so" situation should things go awry.

Bao took a deep breath. "I'm telling you the truth. Look, Ichigo, I know you know him a lot better than I do, but I'm gonna have to ask you to just trust me on this. If I'm putting myself in danger, setting myself up for disaster, that's what's gonna happen, and after that, you can go on and on about how right you were, and I won't say a word. He's _your_ friend, isn't he? Can't you trust him with this, with me?"

Ichigo, at this point, knew he had no choice but to let her do what she wanted. He just needed her to know that he wasn't the type of guy she needed, or really wanted, and he was sure of that. Grimmjow would disappoint and hurt her and not care. Grimmjow never changed. But if she could manage to help him do so, then...

"Fine, fine. Go on, then." Ichigo said. His voice was a bit muffled as he slid his free hand down his face. He wasn't angry with her, or even with Grimmjow, now. He was angry with himself for ever having gotten him involved. Perhaps it was the fact that it was a girl Ichigo was close to. Then again, that didn't make much sense, seeing as he'd never given Rukia, Inoue, or Tatsuki any looks except, well..._that_ look. That pissed off, grumpy look he'd always sported.

They exchanged a few more words, and hung up. Bao turned and entered the house once more, relieved that Ichigo would finally stop worrying. She didn't blame him for worrying about her, and was appreciative that he cared enough to, but there had been enough on his part. He did not need to anymore.

"Grimmjow?" Bao called, seeing as the bathroom was empty. She looked to his room and saw that he was standing still in front of a mirror, having been distracted by his phone. She stood in the doorway to watch him for a while.

His battle-scarred torso was exposed, but his back was mostly free of injury. He wore only gray, plaid pajama pants, and had the towel he'd dried off with loosely atop his head, as if he'd stopped mid-dry to look at something else.

"Grimmjow." She called.

"What?"

"I love you." She said softly, shakily. She held to the door frame, idly drumming her fingers against the wood. Though he'd stood still, he looked as though that had caught him off guard. Completely frozen him. He straightened up and looked over his shoulder at her. After a moment, he beckoned to her, to come closer. She obeyed and was happy to feel the warmth radiating from him as he wrapped an arm around her. He moved her in front of him, rested his chin on her head, and looked into the mirror, at the two of them.

She took gentle hold of his arms as they now held her. Bao chose not to say anything. He didn't have to speak, but she hoped he would.

"Why?" Grimmjow inquired, unblinking gaze set on the mirror. He looked into his own eyes rather than hers, mouth hidden by Bao's untamed hair.

That was a good question; why did she? What was there to love? Then again, what wasn't there? He wasn't and so far, didn't plan on being as mean or otherwise unpleasant to her as he _could_, or was to other people, thankfully. So couldn't she come up with a reason?

"I guess one reason is because you're really...different. You mean well," Bao replied, affectionately stroking his arm. She looked into his reflection's eyes, to see they were already staring back at her. She swore their gaze softened upon her flashing a smile at him. "You're strong, passionate about what you love...Augh, I'm sorry, this all sounds cliche as all hell, but I really mean it, Grimmjow."

He hadn't moved or spoken. Listening was imperative.

"There's so much of you to love, Grimmjow, and I love every bit of you, for you."

_Goddamn it. _Grimmjow looked elsewhere, did anything he could to avoid her gaze, as he squeezed her tightly to his chest. She laughed, although admittedly his hold was all but crushing.

"Yes, I'm sure. He was out like a light. Are you sure you don't want to get a place for the night? It doesn't have to be at your house, y'know." Bao held her phone to her ear and held a small shopping basket as she walked up and down the aisles. Granted, she should have been on this days before, but with everything that had happened in the past few weeks, she hadn't the time to think about it:

Grimmjow's birthday.

Ichigo was on the line, and he was more than happy to help her out. It was her idea to have a party for him, so why not indulge it a bit? Chances are, Grimmjow probably never had a friend to do these things for him. Ichigo hadn't done much before, other than give him the day off, with a 'happy birthday' text. Looking back on it, he was thankful that Bao was around to give Grimmjow something like this.

She didn't give him instructions, and advised he decorated as he pleased-mostly in a way that wouldn't be a bother to take down later that night. For now, however, it was very early in the morning, and the two were preparing so as to have lots of time before Grimmjow even bothered to get up.

"Look, it's fine. It's no trouble. He probably won't even be expecting it at my house, that idiot," Ichigo joked, balanced on a small step-ladder to hang up a few balloons. He'd gone with a simple color scheme of blue, white, and black. "Where are you now?"

"Target. I wanted to look for a charger case for him, something nice for his phone. Between you and me, the thought of him dropping it makes me paranoid. He doesn't use a case, or anything."

"Don't buy the guy anything too expensive. No tablets, new phones, whatever. Not being bossy, he's just clumsy sometimes and will no doubt crack the screen into a million pieces."

Bao scoffed, lifting the cases they had hanging up. Ichigo continued and made sure the two were on the same page. Specifics were important, but Bao faded in and out when it came to listening. Suddenly, she had a question of her own, and caught Ichigo off guard.

"Who should we have keep him busy? He'll probably know it's his birthday the minute he wakes up. Not seeing either of us will already let him know..."

"You're right. Hadn't thought of that. Let's just leave it alone, Bao. I'm sure it'll work out. Even if he knows, he doesn't know there'll be a surprise party, or anything. Don't worry about it."

A sweaty Grimmjow opened the front door to his house. He was clad in a dark gray UnderArmour shirt, sleeves stopping just above the elbows, and simple sweatpants. Bao had been gone all day, from morning, to now-8 PM. She'd sent him texts that he'd look over, but wouldn't respond. Not because he'd been busy running, but because he liked the attention. She sent him little hearts, kaomoji, and pictures of things she saw while she was out. Apparently, Bao had gone to run errands and wouldn't be back until later. Grimmjow thought to go straight to the gym, to bother Ichigo in some way, but he was busy, as well. It was only then that he realized the two of them were large parts of his life, if not the only two.

He'd never admit it, but Kurosaki was all he needed, regarding friendships. Bao's love, he was slowly beginning to accept as deserved and needed. He had no other friends, he wanted no other friends. He knew to his core that these two were the only people that he thought were truly worth something, in their own right. They could stand him, they never let anything he did get them down or discourage them. This did not mean that he wanted them to get used to his rotten behavior, just that if they could handle him the way he was, he could work on changing with peace of mind. They gave him this, and he wouldn't find it in anyone else.

An hour passed, and he found himself dressed comfortably, and seated on the couch, lazily staring at the TV. He settled for _Cops_ initially, but changed his mind, and figured it best to sharpen his skills even when stationary. Switching to ESPN, he kept a watchful eye over recaps of past fights, taking in the technique of those he knew were worse, and those who were "better" than him.

He could pay attention, but that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to feel antsy. He liked being alone with his thoughts, alone and thus giving him time to do what he wanted. But that didn't mean that he wasn't tired of being by himself when Bao had things to do. It wasn't reasonable to think she could be around him all the time, and wait for him when _he_ returned home, but perhaps the separation itself was what was eating away at him. He reached for his phone and unlocked it. Within seconds, whatever he thought to do was interrupted by gentle vibrations, and a picture of his love filling the screen.

"What?" Grimmjow answered, although not as abrasive as he usually would.

Bao smiled, now at Ichigo's house, whom she'd told to keep silent as she made the call and carefully wrapped up the last of Grimmjow's presents. Ichigo had held off on giving his friends the 'okay' before they no doubt noisily came over.

"I missed you. What have you been up to all day?" She asked, leaning back for a moment, she and Ichigo settled on the living room carpet. Grimmjow grunted.

"Nothing. TV, running."

"Did you bring that water in the freezer? Did you have any beer tonight?"

Grimmjow scratched his head. "Yeah, yeah. There's none left." He'd let Bao provide more regulation to his diet, and she often urged him to drink more water. Thankfully, too, as he knew the dangers of overeating in terms of keeping fit, but he wasn't stupid enough to exercise regularly, but keep a piss-poor diet.

"Alright; can you meet me at Ichigo's then?"

"Why? Where's Kurosaki?"

"He and Inoue went to a movie, so he shouldn't be back until later on. I was gonna head home when they came back, but I figured I'd just stay here, y'know?"

Grimmjow chuckled, and sat up now, leaning his arm on his knee. "What, you want me to fuck you in _his_ bed?"

Bao gently bit her lip. Thankfully, Ichigo couldn't hear the conversation, and was in no position to say anything. She played along, knowing anything she said would be strange and nonsensical to an oblivious Ichigo.

"I do, but we can't." _Wow. How flirty and dangerous. _Bao mentally kicked herself for sounding so...robotic.

"Alright," Grimmjow closed his eyes, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "I'll be over in a little bit. Not like I can't make you change your mind, woman."

He'd ran when it was still hot outside. Just barely over eighty, but now, as the sun slowly began to set, it had significantly cooled. He walked to Ichigo's home at a leisurely pace without much reason to rush. She was waiting for him, she'd invited him over. He thought of what she'd said last night, why she loved him, and why she'd always love him. _Every bit of him. _

Looking back on it, Grimmjow knew that the way he'd come to her was fairly rude and highly unconventional. Any other man would've looked at him with disbelief, then again, any of those other men would've been polite to her, waited on her hand and foot. He didn't blame them for being different than he was, he just didn't see the point. But he _did_ see importance of Bao being comfortable with him, and things he did. He would try his best to change for her, but it was his being himself that made her love him, and there was absolute certainty that he'd hold onto that.

Was it too soon to ask her to move in? She was his manager, maybe it would be strange. Especially for those that liked to get in his business. He just wanted her around. She'd left her sweater on the couch once, and he'd looked it over. It was soft, gray, had black stripes across the top part of the sleeves, and PINK written across the front. It smelled of her perfume, fancy shit that he'd never bought for her, but considered. Then again, he liked the surprise of the ever-changing scents.

_God. She was just so fucking perfect. _

Inevitably, he thought of her curves, the subtle things she did that drew his attention, the natural beauty she held and would hold even as she aged. The way she bit her lip when she concentrated on something, the way she cocked her hip when waiting impatiently for him, the way she batted her thick lashes at him when asking for something. Then there were the things she did that made him laugh. The way she wrinkled her nose at him when he said something lewd. The way she crossed her arms when trying to defy him. When she tried to avoid looking at him, turning her back to him like a child. Sometimes they'd argue, and once, he yelled at her.

It was sudden, loud, something that came out of nowhere-something he'd held in, as he didn't want to upset her. He made her cry, and she'd weakly hit him, calling him a bastard, an asshole, whatever she could say through her sobs. He apologized soon after-something that came in the form of hugging her tightly, and refusing to let go until her sobs silenced-and took note: he **hated** making her cry. He hated the sound, he hated how it started slow, then would just keep going.

Even with a bright, red nose and teary, blurred eyes, she was still so pretty. His doll of a woman.

He reached Ichigo's house with Bao in mind. If she really didn't want to, he wouldn't force her. She had every right to tell him when she was uncomfortable, and demand he stop immediately. Whatever; holding her was enough.

Grimmjow knocked once, and loudly.

No answer. He grimaced. Maybe she was in the shower, or something, but it didn't sound like there was any sort of noise coming from the inside. He tried the knob, and much to his surprise, she'd left Kurosaki's door unlocked. Though he knew she knew he was coming, he didn't like that she left herself so unsafe _just because _he was on the way. It wasn't like the house was in a bad neighborhood, but anything could and would happen: time with Aizen had taught him that.

The only light source came from a bulb above the oven, annoying him greatly as he nearly tripped over various shoes in the entryway. He felt the wall for the nearest light switch, and the very second after, was met with dozens of faces, appearing out of nowhere, making noise and yelling: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

He jumped, and grabbed the first person that his body deemed a bit too close. By the time he slammed this person against the wall, he saw that it was Renji. He recognized the faces; Kurosaki's dipshit friends.

Renji threw his hands up, keeping them near his face as he saw Grimmjow hold his shirt tightly, other hand pulled back, fist at the ready. "Wait; it's us! Ichigo's here too, look!"

Renji frantically pointed away from the two of them. Indeed, Ichigo was here, and so was Inoue, and a few others he'd forgotten the names of. He released Renji, who exhaled before closing the door behind Grimmjow, who angrily paced towards Ichigo.

"Are you out of your mind, you goddamned idiot?!" Grimmjow didn't like surprises, and neither Bao nor Ichigo knew this. Ichigo scoffed. "Well excuse me, didn't know you'd be so damn ungrateful. Did you forget your own birthday?" He shot back. Grimmjow blinked.

It _was_ his birthday!

He looked past Ichigo to see a nervous Bao, holding a shiny crown, while Inoue carried the cake he assumed was his.

Grimmjow reluctantly donned the crown Bao had gotten for him, and had opened several presents, all in the living room. The others were acting more kind to him than he'd expected, which was odd to Grimmjow. Of course, Kurosaki's friends were to at least treat him with some sort of respect, as they would to him. Grimmjow himself didn't care how they treated him, but Kurosaki must have said something to them, holding to his "don't start any shit between each other" policy.

Inoue had gotten him a sweatband, which he'd probably neglect wearing, or lose, but he acknowledged needing one. A few shirts, headphones, a phone case, and a few gift cards were one of the many gifts he'd received from the others. He couldn't bring himself to say thank you to anyone, or express it the way they could understand, so when they looked to him, he only nodded. He couldn't thank Bao now, so he simply wrapped an arm around her to pull her in, and planted a kiss on her cheek. The others felt the need to look away, as they'd never seen Grimmjow in such a way with anyone. It'd take some getting used to.

Rukia lit the candle to his cake. No one knew how old he was except for Ichigo, and thus, Bao. They hadn't told her, so she merely gave Inoue candles, and let her decorate the cake as she pleased.

They carefully passed the cake to Grimmjow, and as he looked at the twelve, separate flames dotting its surface, Bao spoke.

"Make a wish."

"Try not to say it out loud." Renji joked. Grimmjow made a face. "Looks like you need this more than me; a wish is the only thing that'll stop me from landing one." He raised a fist before turning his attention back to the candles. He never took these things seriously, and hadn't had an actual celebration for his birthday, so he decided to take a moment and think of something.

He thought, and thought, and thought.

"Grimmjow?" Bao questioned, as he seemed lost in his own thoughts, gaze directed out the window. He smirked, and blew out the candle. Something must have come to his mind, but what?

Grimmjow's impromptu party had gone well, and thankfully, everyone had had a pretty good time. Grimmjow spent most of his time on the couch, watching the others. Bao had gone home with him, and of course, the sex had been _mind-blowing_. Even now, as they laid in his bed, Grimmjow holding her close to his chest-one hand behind his head, the other stroking the skin of her shoulder-he thought to say something before she slept.

"Thank you." His voice was lowered with sleep; it had been a long day for the two of them.

"For what?"

"You know what."

She laughed, running her fingers down his scar-ridden chest, before snuggling ever closer to him. "I love you."

His response caught in his throat. She was bound to fall asleep any moment; he had to say it _now_.

"Love you too...Bao." He'd uttered her name so quietly, that she hadn't heard it, even as she slipped into the most comfortable sleep against him.

This had been the best birthday he'd had in a long, long time.


	15. Repetition

Grimmjow was toying with his next opponent. He wasn't sure what it was that had given him such a confidence boost lately-strange that he, of all people, was even capable of getting one with an already inflated ego-but it was working well. The crowd had to watch, _really watch_, if they were to catch up with his moves. Ichigo had put him through even more strict training, and he had convinced Bao to give him challenges in his down time. He didn't like using treadmills, but would when he didn't feel like being interrupted by others. A continuous, non-stop stream of running...

From what Grimmjow could tell, the guy was sloppy. His swings were slow, or wide, or easily-avoided. He gave Grimmjow plenty of room to lay waste to him, but for some reason, he wouldn't go down. He'd stay up, he'd keep coming back. Kanne was his name. An inch shorter than Grimmjow, with dark brown hair. He had an intensity, a dark, determined gaze that matched Ichigo's, but the technique seemed uncharacteristic, if anything.

The ref had called a foul or two on Kanne for holding, and should he do it again, Grimmjow would receive his easiest win yet. Still, he couldn't help but question how Kanne had gotten this far with such sloppy moves. It had to be some kind of trick. Occasionally, thanks to Kanne's slowness, he could send a glance toward the judges, Ichigo, or Bao, to give them all a look of disbelief. Of doubt.

Kanne's coach had to know, the whole team had to know. He looked at them, too, but couldn't find a hint of someone knowing more than what they showed. They all seemed to trust Kanne, but that wasn't a problem.

He'd show them how big of a mistake that was.

Grimmjow put his arms up, allowing one of Kanne's jabs to miss, before using the open space created to land a barrage of punches to Kanne's face and chest. Kanne fell back immediately, but kept a solid defense, giving Grimmjow no choice but to let up.

The second he did, however, Kanne went straight to the face. Had Grimmjow been a second late in his expectations, it would've sent him back._ Far. _

Bao hadn't noticed the odd way Kanne fought, but Ichigo had. Frankly, it worried him. Grimmjow wasn't cut out for fighters who relied on his shortcomings to win the matches. He fought with only the need to win on his mind, because it wouldn't be long before he could have a shot at the title, should he play his cards right. It was the only thing Grimmjow was thoroughly passionate-if not obsessed-about, the only thing he was absolutely stuck on, and Ichigo would see to it that he got his chance. Not that he won, but at least _would get the chance_. Grimmjow deserved it as much as anyone else did, and he was certain Bao would agree.

Grimmjow was ranked fifth in his divsion, and Kannes, sixth. It would explain why he fought this way, however different it may have been. He watched as Grimmjow fought back with a jab-cross, progressively putting more strength into his punches. He could tell, instantly, Grimmjow wanted this fight over and done with-not entirely for the sake of winning now, but to put an end to the continual guessing game of fighting him. With Grimmjow, you could tell he was an inside fighter, one that once close, the match had a good chance of being finished. Kanne was something else in itself. No strategy, just punches, and sub-par avoidance.

He then caught on. It _was_ an act. There was no way someone would willingly fight like this and not find anything wrong. Fighting unpredictably like this would keep someone on their toes. Every time he got close enough, every time Grimmjow grew comfortable and confident enough that this man was nothing to take seriously, he went in. He threw uppercuts with every ounce of strength he could muster within them. Taking equally devastating hits from Grimmjow was apparently a small price to pay for victory-the slim chance that Grimmjow would give his opponent the satisfaction of landing such a hit.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Kanne taunted as Grimmjow began to keep his distance. He couldn't have that, he needed the other man closer, he needed to get him just within reach and so full of rage that he could quickly make his moves. The faster he downed Grimmjow, the better.

The kid had to count himself lucky the ref stepped in, the bell ringing as well.

"He's starting to pissing me off..." Grimmjow growled as he took a seat in his corner. Ichigo stepped in front of him once more: it was always unlucky for him to let Grimmjow continue looking at his victim during the round's end. "Yeah. I know. Don't let too much of it overwhelm you. He's just another guy, and another one you can take. This is easy, it's nothing you can't do."

As Ichigo continued, Bao stepped closer and kept to the side of the ring. She had a thousand things to be concerned about, but she trusted the judges' rulings, and had faith in Grimmjow's abilities. This was all he had, all he ever took seriously, and to see it challenged like this was almost fascinating to watch. She hoped he won for a number of reasons, but the most important was that she wanted to see him happy afterwards. He'd had his losses, though few, and those times had been the worst. He was of course withdrawn, angry, obsessed with what he did or didn't do that caused him to lose. She feared touching him, knowing that he might lash out at the slightest introduction to something outside the fight.

But the times he was happy were what she loved, and all that she wanted. She almost didn't want him to go back, even as the bell rang, and the two exchanged blows, but she had to trust him. He had to come out of this alright!

"You don't get it. That shit was too close, Grimmjow!" Ichigo yelled back. Grimmjow just barely scraped by, another close win, advancing his rank. It had taken some convincing the ref, but Grimmjow caught an uppercut that would've downed any other man, but he'd gotten to his feet as quickly as he could, despite the entire arena becoming a massive, white blur. They had gone to Ichigo's home, the two of them arguing in the kitchen. Bao waited patiently for Grimmjow, as she had a feeling he'd want to leave soon.

"No shit; you think I don't know that? It's so fucking easy for you to tell me how to do my job, Kurosaki, especially since you wouldn't know _**SHIT **_about what it's like up there!" Grimmjow's voice was naturally deeper, angrier than Ichigo's. Bao would definitely be lying when it came to being afraid of that part of him. She jumped when he yelled, the two of them didn't hold anything back from each other. Ichigo was reprimanding him for being so careless in the beginning, nearly costing him the match-and thus, a shot at the title-and Grimmjow, obviously, wasn't the type to take shit from someone who thought they could speak to him however they wanted.

"Of course I know! That's why you're up there; you wouldn't _be_ up there if I didn't know! Your stupid ego is what caused Kanne to almost beat you; again, Grimmjow, you got lucky. Luck isn't going to help you beat the champ, you idiot."

Grimmjow gritted his teeth and shoved his way past Ichigo. He didn't get it, he didn't understand, and there's no way he would. Neither would Bao. He didn't give her a single glance, or even speak to her as he made his way to the door. Ichigo was simply going to let him go, waving off the whole situation and figuring he was going to stew on it all night, before getting over it the next morning. Bao sighed, and with a roll of her eyes, she rose and hurried after Grimmjow, taking hold of his arm, just as he opened the door. An inch closer, and he would've hit her with it. He stopped, turning to face her. "What?" He demanded.

"Grimmjow, you know he's only trying to help." She reasoned, trying to make eye-contact with her reluctant lover.

He was still frustrated, clearly, continuing to speak and point out all of the annoying things Ichigo was doing, but she stopped him, reaching up and placing both hands on his face. "**Grimmjow.**" She called, getting his attention. "He's your coach. He's gonna be like this. Just relax. Please, for a minute?"

Grimmjow remained agitated, but he considered her words. He looked away for a moment, as if humoring her, and listened. "Now, close your eyes, and breathe."

Reluctantly, he did, as if to get it over with. "Slower." She asked, and he complied, indeed, slower.

"Feel a little better?" Bao smiled at him, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. Grimmjow grumbled something affirmative in response, but took hold of one of her hands to kiss the palm. The two left, Bao closing the door after them and sparing Ichigo a slammed one.

Bao flipped through channels back at Grimmjow's house, settling on an episode of _How It's Made _to be used as background noise as she scrolled through her phone. Her brows furrowed as she read the coverage of Grimmjow's fight. There were a few people that assumed Kanne threw the match, or that pitting him against Grimmjow wasn't a fair fight. Either way, there were positives and negatives, but Bao couldn't help but be drawn by the negatives. _Maybe they're just pissed they lost a bet. _She thought, making a face before setting her phone aside.

Grimmjow entered the living room, towel on his head as he quickly dried the mass atop his head. He joined her on the couch, shifting to both take up the rest of the space, and lay his head in her lap. "Grimmjow!" She started. "Your hair's still pretty damp, you know."

Grimmjow reached up and pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't worry about it."

Not like he ever gave her a choice. She gave him a knowing smile, and ran her fingers through the damp locks. It was a relief to see his body, which was always so tense, uncomfortable, and rough, take on a sort of softness and melt into relaxation under her touch. She traced his jawline with her fingers, and he disrupted her upon speaking.

"You still alright with going?"

Bao paused. Maybe he meant the trip he'd planned. He had done it on a whim, sure, but that was the surprise. He could afford it, the way fights had been going, and even if he could only barely, she had a feeling Grimmjow would take her, regardless. But to think, _Saint Lawrence Gap, Barbados!_ She'd have to keep a close eye on him, and make sure he followed his training regimen, seeing as Ichigo would _not_ be happy about Grimmjow slacking off for a week straight, with no intention of picking up where he left off, simply because he was somewhere else.

Grimmjow slowly opened his eyes hours after they had fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes, and with a yawn, woke to see Bao leaned back, sound asleep on the couch with her hands limply holding him. He sat up, holding his neck, and passed the blanket that was usually on his coach toward her, spreading it over her lap.

What had woken him up? The TV was off, and the only light came from a lamp on an end table near the couch. He checked the clock-3 AM.

His phone buzzed against a vacant cushion, and as he rose with it in hand, he saw it.

Three missed calls, all around an hour ago. He and Bao had been sound asleep, so of course he didn't hear it. They weren't saved in his contacts, but this recent notification came from a text: "Meet outside since you won't pick up your phone."

He double-checked to see if Bao was sleeping. Indeed, she was, and so with great caution, he pulled on a sweater and stepped out, closing the door as gently as he could. The last thing he needed was to wake her up, and have her want to come with him. He wouldn't let her, but he didn't want to hear her insist about following him somewhere that could be dangerous. He could handle the threat of danger, things that could potentially end his life, but putting Bao in danger was his number one thing to avoid. Even imagining her death because of him, a scratch on her, someone trying to hurt her...it all disturbed him greatly.

He kept slow as he walked forward, further and further down the walkway in front of his house. Grimmjow looked back and forth, all around, in the dark spaces near his home. No car outside his house save for Bao's.

"Is she with you?" He heard someone call.

"Come out, you coward." Grimmjow demanded, hands in pockets. He didn't need to retreat back to the house, he wasn't afraid. If anyone wanted to start anything with him, it wasn't like he couldn't handle himself.

"I'll take that as a no, then," another voice responded. The two of them emerged from behind a tree just far enough from his property. Grimmjow felt his fists clench, fingers digging against his palms-he recognized their faces despite the dimness of the street lights being his only light. Gin's ever-smirking, catlike face was an unforgettable thing, a thing he used to instill fear. No wonder Aizen let him lead interrogation. Close to him was a shorter man, Ulquiorra, whom Grimmjow personally found fault with, as he'd take whatever chance he did to undermine and interrupt things Grimmjow did-just another person who tried to keep him on a leash, to no avail.

"You're pro'lly wondering why we're here, 'm, Grimmjow?" Gin had chanced coming closer, until he had the satisfaction of agitating Grimmjow. Only then did he stop, Ulquiorra obediently to his left. Grimmjow scoffed, and looked toward Ulquiorra, who kept a piercing gaze solely on him.

"Well, mobilization is a really important thing, y'know. Aizen's area's become a little crowded, and thinnin' out the herd isn't as easy as it used to be. I'm sure you understand..."

"Cut the shit. What's Aizen want?" Grimmjow's belligerence proved amusing, as always, to Gin. "To come here." If Grimmjow wanted to be short with him, Gin would play along. No reason to answer all of his questions. In fact, keeping him guessing was Aizen's favorite means of controlling Grimmjow.

"You come when he calls, is the point," Ulquiorra explained. Aizen had gotten himself involved in another cartel's business and exposed, thanks to the foolish actions of one of his underlings. Needless to say, such actions were dealt with swift, and painful punishment via Aizen himself, who cared little for the fact that said underling had barely escaped the compound of Aizen's competitor with his life. "Aizen is coming here until his district in Hueco Mundo clears up."

"Yeah, yeah. He heard how well you're doing for yourself, and was pretty interested in the lucrative business of gambling, y'know."

Grimmjow's eyes widened. He had to cut him off there, he had to stop it. "No. Fuck no. He can't come here, tell him to take his shit somewhere else." He gestured in any other general direction, taking a step forward. Gin merely raised his hands and feigned fear. "Hey, we're just the messengers. Aizen thought it'd be polite to let you know we're comin' out, why can't you appreciate that?"

"Still as angry, and stupid as ever." Ulquiorra commented, clearly unfazed by Grimmjow, even as the latter took hold of the front of his jacket, and directed his anger toward him.

"You're so ready to call me all this shit, but if I say I want to fight, you make up some garbage to get out of it. Pussy." He shoved Ulquiorra back, who merely closed his eyes, shook his head, and adjusted his jacket. There was no reasoning with Grimmjow, but there was no reason to fight him, either. Both of them, Gin, and Aizen all knew which one of them was stronger. Their fighting styles differed greatly, but that didn't mean one was weaker. It wasn't something to contemplate now, however-he had to stay focused on the mission: alert Grimmjow to Aizen's arrival. Should he get here sooner or later and find a suitable place for him and his underlings, it was imperative to have Grimmjow know, so as to make use of him during Aizen's temporary relocation. Naturally, Ulquiorra ignored Grimmjow's taunting.

"Anyway, Grimmjow, I'd make sure you'd keep a close eye on her." He opened an eye, to fully enjoy Grimmjow's shock. How did they know about her...?

"I mean, there wouldn't be any cause for alarm," Gin added. "Especially if you prove to be a good little boy and listen to what Aizen says. He can be pretty persuasive anyway, but y'never know, someone might think they could actually _defy_ him..."

"Fuck you, Gin," Grimmjow hadn't been under Aizen's control for a long time, and he enjoyed every moment of it. He couldn't risk being around, not in the open, and Bao...He couldn't leave her to stay out too late. He couldn't just give Aizen something to hold over his head, but it seemed he decided that before moving to Karakura City.

"So rude. Well, whatever. Just don't do anything stupid that'll get her in trouble. As hard as that might be for someone like you..."

Grimmjow was at a loss. He couldn't send her home. He had to be everywhere she was, he had to keep a close eye on her-there was no way he could let Aizen send his servants to tail her, or watch her house, or do whatever it was that he had planned.

"Looks like she's up. We might as well get going, Ulquiorra." Gin's tone was as sing-songy as ever as he motioned to one of the windows of Grimmjow's house, the bathroom window. Her silhouette moved behind the shades-if only she'd stayed asleep. "So what are you waiting for? Get the hell out of here." Grimmjow turned and threatened his ex-superiors. He made sure to watch as they took their leave, almost hesitant to turn his back, even as they were gone.

By the time he entered the house and closed the door behind him, Bao had her shoes on, and gathered up her things. "I've got to get back home, Grimmjow," She said. He stayed rooted to the ground, unwilling to move, his back to the door. "I'm over here a lot, but that doesn't mean any of my clothes are." She joked, her laughter soon dying as she saw that he was motionless. Wordless. He didn't say or do anything, not even the rare chuckle she got out of him. He didn't look concerned, just...different, somehow.

"Stay here tonight."

"I can't. But you know I would if I could, so, move."

Grimmjow kept in front of her, a grimace settling on his face. She didn't get it. He didn't have the time to explain it to her, and frankly, this was an aspect of his life he preferred to keep her completely ignorant of. She didn't need to know, and as much as he hated the fact, as long as he did what Aizen told him to do-or at least, within reason of such things-they wouldn't have any reason to come near her. She was his. Couldn't Aizen let him have this single, important thing, this woman's love as well as her well-being, to himself, and leave her alone?

She still thought it was a joke. He'd tell her when it all blew over, that way, he could handle her whining about him keeping things from her. She had the right to know if her life was in danger, but for the moment, so long as he "behaved", it wasn't. Again, the blue-haired man was at a loss for what to do.

"Stay, woman," he started, once more. "you have to." She knew better than to argue with him, didn't she?

Bao scoffed, an incredulous look on her face, coupled with raised eyebrows. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Grimmjow, but it's too late for there to be anybody out there. Just let me go home, we'll see each other tomorrow, you know that-"

"**Listen to me, damn it,**" Grimmjow growled, now taking hold of her upper arms. She flinched-he'd seen-so he loosened his grip just a bit. "I'm serious. You can't go out there, not tonight, not until morning. Kurosaki will let you come in late, you already know that. He doesn't give a shit about what you do, he spends all that time bitching and moaning to me. So just stay here for the night." _Say it. Say it. Say it. _Grimmjow mentally pushed himself to say the next word. Of course, he'd never asked anyone for anything, and was never polite, so one could imagine the severity with which he said...

"Please."

Bao looked to him. He wasn't afraid of something, he wasn't being demanding or possessive. He was simply asking her to stay, but something obviously had him concerned. Whatever it was, she decided it was best to trust him. Why not? If it would make him more comfortable, she'd stay. With a heavy sigh, she nodded, and he slowly, reluctantly, released her. She didn't know what was wrong, but there was nothing wrong with hugging him. Especially since the two were together like this-showing affection to someone like Grimmjow would take some getting used to on his part, but she was glad to be the one, _his_ one. She gave him a warm embrace, and was silently surprised to hear his heart rate slow from the rapid beats it had had.

Grimmjow absentmindedly took hold of her, giving her a single, affectionate squeeze, and used his other hand to stroke her hair. She was safe with him, she had nothing to worry about. He wanted this kept from her so she could live out her life as though nothing were out of the ordinary, and leave dealing with Aizen to him. "Go to bed." He said, softly. He planned to sit up all night, now, in case they had someone like Tousen to stay close by the house. How Aizen knew about Bao was beyond him, but it didn't mean he was worried. He could keep her safe, protected, and happy, Aizen would go away, they'd go on their vacation-everything would work out.

Even now, as she'd complied and gotten into his bed, he tucked her in and kissed her goodnight. She'd be happy, and safe, and his-he repeated this mantra in his head, over and over again, until he was even more sure of it than he'd been in the beginning.

He left the room, closing the door, and exhaled to calm himself. Aizen wouldn't take his happiness away, he'd see to that.


	16. Vigilance

"Did you get the message through?" Aizen asked, examining the lone tea cup on his desk. Gin and Ulquiorra came back a little while ago, their mission having gone off without a hitch. "Naturally," Gin replied, leaning to the side a bit as he smiled. Ulquiorra spoke.

"It seems he's really protective of whoever that woman is. I don't mean to question you, Aizen, but are you certain he's more likely to listen if we continue threatening her existence?"

Aizen nodded, not at all bothered. In fact, he saw it as an opportunity that Grimmjow had unknowingly provided. Of course he cared about her, of course he was willing to keep her safe. Aizen preferred to play on such a thing instead of needlessly threaten the very lives of those he wished to control. "Consider it, Ulquiorra. He has no reason to disobey me, especially if he doesn't want her hurt, or worse. As far as we're concerned, we stay away from her, but keep an eye on Grimmjow. Don't scare him too much, otherwise he might do something drastic..."

"By that, you mean stupid." Gin off-handedly joked, remembering Grimmjow as the more reckless of their subordinates. Aizen continued. "Just enough that he knows that we're always watching, should he get cold feet about the deal."

"Deal?" Ulquiorra inquired.

"I can't simply let my daily income be hindered by some disorganization in Hueco Mundo. I'll be betting on Grimmjow to win, and it should hold us over-more than that-should things go smoothly. You all remind him what he's fighting for, should he dare to lose a single match."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Gin held a hand up, suddenly remembering what he'd wanted to ask Aizen. "Is Tousen gonna tail them too, or some'n?"

Aizen thought about this for a moment. What merit would there be in having Tousen keep watch over Grimmjow? There was already enough tension between the two as it was-Grimmjow had always harbored the most hatred for Tousen. Probably because he was more inclined to carry out swift and immediate punishment toward Grimmjow, something about how his "behavior must be met with consequences". While Aizen appreciated Tousen's willingness to make his subjects obey, there was no need to waste force where it wasn't necessary. Needless to say, he'd let Tousen punish Grimmjow once, by breaking his arm. It wasn't a pretty sight, to see Grimmjow fighting back the pain of having his arm broken bare-handed, but, like all injuries he'd sustained working under Aizen, this healed. Unlike the bitterness and anger between Tousen and Grimmjow.

"No," Aizen finally replied. There was no need to have Tousen muddy things up. He didn't expect Grimmjow to lower his guard knowing Aizen himself, Gin, and Ulquiorra were around, but it wouldn't do to have Tousen purposefully spark an angry, hyper-vigilant Grimmjow. "He can stay here, and you both will handle tailing Grimmjow. Separately. He doesn't need to expect seeing both of you, if at all. Keep things...sporadic."

Aizen dismissed the two, and turned to look out the window. The sky had lightened, hinting to the closeness of dawn. Where he'd set up was sufficient, and would work for a while, so long as he could lay low. He'd managed to take an abandoned building on the outskirts of Karakura City. He couldn't help but be disgusted by the laziness of the city, that they'd put demolishing the building on hold so as to focus on other "inner-city issues". He now balanced between restoring part of it, and leaving it to be in its dilapidated state. Either way, it wasn't like someone couldn't take a bribe when it came to either option: if he stayed, he'd pay someone to keep quiet. If he left, the same would also hold true. Moving in silence was key.

But for now, he focused solely on Grimmjow. He'd be his mode of income for a little while, and it was only fair he make sure such a thing was in perfect working order.

"You really don't have to do that, you know," Ichigo paced leisurely around the gym, an impatient, though focused, Grimmjow doing pull-ups nearby. He couldn't follow the conversation, but wasn't able to bring his concerns to Ichigo, either. The last thing he wanted to hear was Ichigo going on and on about how right he was to make Grimmjow leave her alone, as his obsessive behavior was off-putting, at best.

Ichigo finally ended the call and pocketed his phone. "Bao's gonna be a little late, she's got something she wants to pick up. Just keep going, and she'll be here soon."

Grimmjow paused, halfway through a pull-up. Don't think about it. Don't think about it. That son of a bitch wouldn't do anything right now. If he really wanted to get me back there, he wouldn't touch a hair on her head. She's safe. Everything is fine. Aizen's in some fucking hole right now, plotting something stupid, but she's safe. She's far from him. She can go do anything she wants, because she's far from him. He repeated these thoughts over and over. He couldn't jump to thinking she needed protection twenty-four seven. As much as he wanted to tell her, as much as he wanted to keep her safe, he had to stay away from her. Weren't they after him? Weren't they going to be watching him? It was a different story entirely if Tousen was involved, but Aizen didn't take too kindly to his favorites being killed. At least, killed by someone other than himself.

He continued his workout, knuckles white as his grip on the bar tightened. Where was she? Couldn't she hurry up and get to the gym?!

"Sorry, Ichigo, traffic was ridiculous." Bao hurried into the gym, large bag at her side. He simply waved it off. "Nah, don't worry about it. What's in the bag?"

"New training gear. Apparently it was on backorder, so I had to wait a while to get it." She made a face, met with a knowing smile from her orange-haired friend. Grimmjow had busied himself with training with another boxer, but the moment he heard Bao's voice cut through the piling thoughts in his head, everything seemed to stop. She hadn't shown up for at least an hour, and an hour was all it took, regardless of what Grimmjow tried to convince himself of. He stopped the other man, and hurriedly got out of the ring, pulling off his gloves-it was as though he wanted to make sure this was real, that she was real, and okay, in front of him. He hadn't heard what she said, and didn't care that he was interrupting whatever she was talking about with Kurosaki. It didn't matter. None of it mattered.

He took hold of her, and shook her a bit, looking directly into her eyes. "Where were you?!"

Bao's eyebrows furrowed. What was wrong with him? All she'd done was go to the store, there wasn't anything strange, except the fact that she'd been a little late. "I just went to the store, Grimmjow, let go!" She replied, pulling at his fingers. He was always so rough with her, and though she didn't feel like she could blame him for such things, it was time he started handling her more carefully, if at all. Grimmjow gritted his teeth and let her go.

He wasn't going to ask any further. It was already bad enough that Kurosaki saw him behave so outwardly-he didn't need to be involved any more than that. But he had to be sure, he had to be absolutely certain that she'd come from wherever, to the store, and straight to the gym. He'd been stressed enough getting her to stay the night, but being the heavy sleeper that he was, she must've slipped out of his home early, explaining his empty bed.

No, he had to ask now, but was immediately interrupted.

"Why's that matter?" Ichigo questioned, raising a thin brow at his friend. Grimmjow cut his eyes at Ichigo, but couldn't outright dismiss his involvement. The less reasons he gave Ichigo to be suspicious, the better.

"Forget it, then." She was here now, and that was what mattered the most. Perhaps he was too ready to endure Aizen's mind games, but there wasn't any reason he couldn't be cautious and know where she was, for her sake. He turned his back to the two of them, and resumed training, leaving a confused Bao to watch after him.

Another bout followed that night, one that Bao did not attend. Every second he had to focus on the obnoxious opponent in front of him, Grimmjow's mind raced straight to her. It was unbalanced, split into thirds that fluctuated and either taken over or completely ignored by other thoughts. One portion focused on the fight, Ichigo's coaching, and keeping his fatigue at bay. Another was on Aizen, and consisted of worry over Bao's safety, and wanting to beat Aizen to within an inch of his life. Another was on Bao herself. He couldn't keep the negative thoughts away, he couldn't stay positive about such things. He'd been subject to the horrid whims of Aizen that were all too real, and the danger that Bao was in unless he complied was just as real.

The referee seperated the two boxers, and as Grimmjow returned to his respective corner, he scanned the crowd, hoping irrationally for his lover to be somewhere among the dark sea of unfamiliar faces. Wherever she was, she was safe. He thought this, Ichigo's words muted. He seemed to nod only on reflex, when he heard Ichigo stop talking.

Then, he saw it.

Brown hair, a thick strand down the face of the man it belonged to. Motionless in the front row, while others raved all around him, restless and determined for whichever boxer to win. Aizen's look was the same as always, it always held a confident coolness that he rarely saw disturbed, no matter the reason.

One day he'd stomp it, face down, into the dirt.

Aizen was flanked by Ulquiorra and Gin, the latter sharing Aizen's expression. He had a feeling they hadn't come simply to watch him lose. The bell rang, and Grimmjow, under pressure he'd never felt before, approached his opponent.

Grimmjow rolled down the window to Ichigo's car, and spat, earning a disgusted look from the orange-haired driver. The corner of his mouth contorted-couldn't he do things like that somewhere else? Thank God he didn't smoke, otherwise the spitting would be worse. Grimmjow wasn't talkative at all, but his antsiness was beginning to wear on Ichigo's nerves. He eased into the leftmost lane, directly behind Bao. This, for some reason, seemed to get Grimmjow's attention, more or less "calming" him.

"What?" He asked. Grimmjow didn't hear.

"Grimmjow." Ichigo called, trying once more to get his attention. "What?" Grimmjow's agitation seemed to restore things to normal.

"You didn't listen to shit I said earlier. You're out of it; what's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"Nobody's stupid, Grimmjow, even though you're sure of that. How you act isn't exactly what somebody'd call 'inconspicuous', you know."

Grimmjow didn't respond. He kept his eyes locked on Bao's car, as well as the drivers around her. He wasn't looking for Aizen, Ulquiorra, Gin, Tousen, any of them, in particular. He just wanted to make sure she was in his line of sight, that nothing could get too close to her. Then, another thought hit him. Of course, she was going to her house for the night instead of his, but did Aizen know where she lived?

Of course he fucking did.

The ride was agonizing, and Grimmjow had almost been too impatient to wait for Ichigo to slow to a stop before getting out, as they'd been put a few blocks back because of a red light. Regardless, Bao was safely in her home, car parked in front of the garage.

"You're welcome." Ichigo replied, watching Grimmjow damn near stumble out of the car, and hurry into Bao's home. He exhaled, brows raised. Whatever had gotten into Grimmjow, maybe she'd be able to say something and snap him out of it. He seemed overly worried about her whereabouts and what she was doing. He'd never been out of it in a fight before, never been distracted-he was one to put 100% of himself, his focus, into his fights. It was the number one thing he cared about, above all else. So what could have given him such a scare?

Whatever it was, it was something to mull over at his own home. He drove off, and left the two to themselves.

Bao jumped upon turning the corner of her hallway, running straight into Grimmjow. "Damn it, Grimmjow, don't do that!" She mock punched him. "You scared me half to death."

Grimmjow didn't say anything for a moment. What could he? What merit was there in spilling his guts about his past, about Aizen, and how he was a never-ending occurrence in Grimmjow's life? Sure, he'd have a few moment's peace, and almost, almost forget what he was, and how he'd gotten that far, but it never lasted long.

She wouldn't say anything to Ichigo, and he didn't have to tell her to keep it between them.

"Grimmjow!" Bao snapped her fingers in his face, waving a palm until he seemed to snap out of it. "Okay, what's wrong, you've been acting weird all day, and I don't feel like putting up with it later on. Say something."

Grimmjow exhaled, his shoulders relaxing, hand absently settling on the back of his neck. "It's nothing. Stress."

Shit. _**Shit. **_For a split second, Grimmjow had considered telling her everything, every little detail. But something had kicked in and prevented him from it-he lied, instantly, to spare her the whole thing, and went under the general excuse of being stressed. It didn't quite excuse his behavior, but she wasn't ready. It wasn't her business, Aizen had merely threatened to make it her business should he not cooperate. He kept a straight face even as Bao stuck her tongue out at him, took loose hold of his hands, and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You should've told me, then. You know you can always come to me." She cooed.

Not now. Not about this shit. Grimmjow thought, the warmth of her smile met only with silent blankness. He kissed her forehead. "Here, let me make you something. It'll help you get some sleep tonight." Bao offered.

Grimmjow let her go, and watched as she walked. If anything, Kurosaki should have warned him about how dangerous she was. She was bad for him, she could make him do anything, and not even know it.

"Thanks for coming over, Rukia," Ichigo sighed, loudly, and closed the door behind his friend. Rukia waved it off before making herself comfortable on Ichigo's sectional. He'd left numerous papers next to his laptop, hardly-legible notes scrawled in pens of varying color. Ichigo soon joined her.

"No problem. It's not like I'd say no, anyway."

You don't. Half the time, you invite yourself over if something's out of the ordinary. Ichigo thought, comically, before she picked up his notebook. "So what's all this; what's going on?"

"Well..." Ichigo leaned back. "I didn't really run a full check on that guy that I let come help me with Grimmjow, a while back. I mean, I had to do pretty standard stuff to make sure he got paid on time, you know who he was."

"Isayama Nori," Rukia read aloud, pursing her lips. Ichigo hadn't been able to find anything linking him directly to Grimmjow, much less anything past vague social networking profiles. Past employers were missing, but it was the only thing he'd recently found out there had been more to, and the only place he could start. "I guess I can't take a chance and say the name's familiar to you?" Ichigo tried, in vain. Rukia expectedly shook her head. "No. Did he seem really suspicious when he was trying to help you out with Grimmjow?"

"Not at first, I'll admit," Ichigo leaned back, to rest a hand atop his head. "But after he actually saw the guy, things were different. He was yelling at him more than I do, and that's on our worst days, where Grimmjow's an irritable piece of shit, and I'm just not in the mood for it." Just thinking of those days gave Ichigo a stomach ache. Rukia merely smirked as she continued their search. "There's not much you're going to find. Did he say anything about where he came from?"

He exhaled, deeply, and thought about it for a moment. Just when Rukia thought to withdraw the question, he replied, "Some neighborhood in Hueco Mundo, if that. I mean, I thought it was kind of fucked up that he would want to live there in the first place, but just because it's a magnet for violence doesn't mean there aren't a few nice gated neighborhoods." He chuckled inwardly.

"Hueco Mundo..." Rukia echoed, as if to mull on the phrase for a few moments, before something seemed to click. She set her jaw, and hurriedly opened a few tabs to preform a quick search, to confirm her suspicions. Ichigo watched, confused. "Hm? What?"

"Well, not only were you wrong in letting the guy into such a public area, but you don't know much about Hueco Mundo, do you?"

"Hey, it's been on the news a few times, and it's not like I've got a ton of time to spend paying attention to a place that has spotty violence, at best." Ichigo remarked, defensively. Rukia huffed, finding Ichigo's cluelessness as amusing as ever. "Hueco Mundo has a lot of rogues running around. It's not entirely lawless, but living there isn't smart unless you can pay for protection, or..."

"Or?"

"Well, you can pay for protection from reputable sources-you know, from actual bodyguards and the like-or you can pay protection money to the cartels."

Ichigo made a face. "What?" Rukia asked, in response to his unanticipated silence.

"Well, it's just sickening that I picked up a guy that'd probably cut my neck open while I slept. But he said he'd take care of Grimmjow. That I had nothing to worry about, and no reason to waste so much energy on the guy."

"Why you choose to on a daily basis is up for debate." Rukia slyly replied. Ichigo huffed as she went on. "Regardless, while he's not familiar to us, Grimmjow mentioned knowing him when we were out that night, remember?"

"Yeah. And I remember he beat the shit out of the guy. So what?"

"He had to have come from somewhere. I'm not saying someone must have sent him, just that guys like this don't just appear out of nowhere. Someone would take advantage of a loud-mouthed dolt like that."

"So what do you want me to do about it?"

"Nothing yet. I'm going to keep looking for a few leads, you just stay where you are and keep an eye on Grimmjow. Get him to answer things if you need to, because let's face it-he's the only one that'd know more about where Nori's from."

Of course she'd give him that job. As long as she was looking for hints as to Nori's background, what did he care?

"Fine," Ichigo knew that Grimmjow would do anything to make his job harder, so, better to brace for that than assume that maybe, just maybe, he would be cooperative just this once.

"You're forgetting your resources."

"There aren't any when it comes to that musclehead, Rukia."

"Bao."

"...she won't want to manipulate him like that. As much as I can't stomach it, she loves the guy."

"You care about him too; you're his friend, Ichigo. He's too stubborn to tell you whether you yell at him or not, so have her help you out."

"Alright, alright."

Rukia paused to look at Ichigo for a moment. He had lost himself in that same, pensive look he always had when confronted with something serious, something that effected him directly, or indirectly. He didn't look like he cared one way or another about how he approached the problem, but she had to admit she wondered what went on in that head of his, what was a part of his decision-making.

She was staring. Ichigo made it clear enough for her. "What?"

"Ah, just make sure you stay on Grimmjow about this. It's important and it might be a lot bigger than what he's letting on." She hurriedly replied. Ichigo, obviously none the wiser of any social cues or connotations, merely shrugged it off and rose with a long, drawn-out stretch.

"I'm getting ready for bed, then. If I'm gonna do this shit, I may as well be rested for it." He admitted, although knowing that he'd let someone so potentially dangerous that close to he and Grimmjow was enough to keep him up. Rukia took this, however, as a cue to leave. She nodded and closed his laptop, before making her way to the door, their backs to each other as they silently went about the rest of their nights.


End file.
